Draper

Origin:  Michigan ppaf

1. High-bush type cultivar.
2. Height of the mature plants appear to be 5 feet. Plants have good vigor and will grow more upright than spreading.
3. The first ripe berries are blue and have the same season as Blue Crop in Grand Junction, Michigan. The ripe fruit will continue to hold onto the plants until Blue Crop completes the first harvest. UP to 60% of the fruits can be picked at the first harvest, followed by the second harvest 7-10 days later.
4. Plants produce consistent yields of 10 to 15 pounds of fruit, similar to the Duke cultivar.
5. The fruits are of fine flavor, with a high sweetness without high acidity. The fruits are firm with tight skin. The skin of the fruit is crispy, so the berry is reminiscent of eating a crispy apple.
6. The uniform medium fruit size is perfect for fresh market, yielding 110 berries per pound.
7. Fruits for the fresh market can be accomplished by mechanical or hand harvest. Berry quality is very firm, and observed to be the firmest of all blueberry fruits. The stem scar is small and dry. Do not harvest this fruit within 24 hours after a rainfall, tearing of the skin around the scar will occur; this is true with many other cultivars. The fruits of Draper are perhaps the best quality of all cultivars.
8. Fresh marketing of fruits is recommended because of the high quality and appearance.  It is also an excellent choice for U-pick growers.
9. In 2010, a very hot and humid season in Michigan, the Drapers were harvested after the first harvest of Blue Crop. The total yield on the acreage was stored in controlled atmosphere for a seven week period to be marketed with the large harvests of Elliott and Aurora. The berries had not lost the firm quality and it is possible that the fruit could have been stored longer.
10. The plants have exhibited good vigor in most soil types except heavy clay areas. The plants appear to be resistant to most leaf, root, and fruit diseases. Hardiness Zones 8-5.