Fact sheet for the Tayberry Buckingham mulberry variety
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Fruit Flesh Color: Dark Red to Purple
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Skin color: Dark red, purple, or blackish-red when ripe
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Size and shape: Large (up to 5 cm long), elongated and cylindrical in shape
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Tree size: Climbing vine, reaching 1.50 m to 2.50 m in height
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Fruit maturity: July to August
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Fruit Flavor: Blend of raspberry sweetness with tangy blackberry notes, very aromatic. Sweet-tart and very fragrant flavor.
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Earliness of the variety: Early (flowering in May)
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Fruiting period: July to August (3 to 5 weeks)
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Disease resistance and storage: Excellent resistance to common rubus diseases. Hardiness: -12°C to -20°C depending on the source. Short shelf life after harvest.
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Variety yield: Very productive (3 to 5 kg per plant per year at maturity)
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Is this variety self-fertile? Yes
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Commercial use: Fresh consumption (short supply chains), processing (jams, jellies, coulis, compotes, sorbets, pastries)
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Comments: Almost thornless, requires training, origin Scotland.
Quick read / the essentials on Buckingham tayberry
The 'Buckingham' tayberry is a remarkable hybrid variety, born from the cross between raspberry and blackberry, specifically developed to meet the needs of modern growers. This vigorous, climbing plant seduces with its productivity, its precocity and especially with its elongated fruits with an exceptional taste combining sweetness and acidity. Thanks to its flexible shape and the almost total absence of thorns, it facilitates orchard management and manual harvesting. The generous size of the fruits (up to 10 g), their juiciness (80 to 85 %) and their beautiful purple color make it an excellent option both for fresh consumption and for artisanal or semi-industrial processing.
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With its honey-producing flowering in May, its early harvest from the beginning of July, and a natural tolerance to diseases (powdery mildew, rust, botrytis), this variety stands out as a strategic choice. Its self-fertility simplifies planting patterns and optimizes production regularity. Are you a small fruit producer looking for new products? Trust Bairiverse , your specialist wholesale supplier of blueberry plants. There is still time to buy Buckingham tayberry plants for your next campaign: a safe bet, both in short circuits and in processing. And of course, we remain your specialist wholesale supplier of blueberry plants for tailor-made technical support.
Name and origin
Tayberry 'Buckingham' is an interspecific hybrid between raspberry ( Rubus idaeus ) and blackberry ( Rubus fruticosus ), developed in Scotland in the late 20th century. Its botanical name is Rubus fruticosus x idaeus 'Buckingham' . This variety was created to combine the fruity and complex flavor of the classic Tayberry with a near absence of thorns , making it easy to grow and harvest in a professional orchard.
General description
Tayberry 'Buckingham' is a climbing vine with a flexible habit and very vigorous growth. It forms long, flexible branches that absolutely require training. The adult plant reaches 1.5 to 2.5 meters in height and can cover 2 to 3 meters in width depending on growing conditions. Its foliage is deciduous.
Fruit characteristics
The fruits are very large , measuring 4 to 5 cm long and weighing an average of 6 to 10 g per berry . Their shape is elongated and cylindrical, similar to a very stretched blackberry or a large raspberry.
The color of the fruit changes as it ripens: from light red , it becomes dark red , then purple to reach a blackish-red hue when ripe. Its juicy, melting flesh , well colored, has excellent processing potential .
The taste of Tayberry 'Buckingham' is particularly sought after: balance between sweetness and acidity , with powerful and fruity aromas combining the characteristics of raspberry and blackberry. The Brix level fluctuates between 10° and 12° , with peaks at 14° Brix in good conditions.
The fruit is, however, fragile and has a short shelf life , making post-harvest processing often essential.
Flowering and fruiting period
Flowering occurs in May , making it an early variety for this type of hybrid. Fruiting lasts from early July to mid-August , over a period of 3 to 5 weeks . The variety is non-remontant : it produces on two-year-old stems, once a year.
The first harvest takes place 16 to 20 months after planting , with full productivity reached in the third year .
Performance and commercial valuation
Under well-managed professional conditions, the yield is 3 to 5 kg per plant per year , or 5 to 25 tonnes per hectare depending on the planting density.
Tayberry 'Buckingham' has two main uses:
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Fresh consumption : on short circuits, specialized markets or direct sales, thanks to its exceptional flavor.
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Artisanal or semi-industrial processing : very suitable for jams, jellies, coulis, sorbets and pastries due to its high juice content (80 to 85%) , its intense color and its complex aroma.
Vigor, shape and training
This variety is very vigorous . The branches can grow 1.5 to 2 m per year , with a flexible shape. Training is essential , on stretched wires or trellises, with a system of 2 or 3 horizontal levels spaced 60 cm apart. The recommended spacing is 2 to 2.5 m between plants in the row.
Longevity and maintenance
The optimal productive lifespan is estimated at between 8 and 12 years . Annual pruning is essential to maintain production: complete removal of fruiting branches after harvest, retention of 6 to 8 young stems from the year per plant for the following season.
Root system and soil and climate requirements
The root system is superficial , concentrated in the first 30 to 50 centimeters of soil. It spreads horizontally over a radius of 1.5 to 2 meters . Tayberry 'Buckingham' prefers:
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fresh, fertile and well-drained soils ,
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an acidic to neutral pH ,
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a permeability of at least 15-20 mm/h to avoid any root asphyxiation .
It is sensitive to stagnant humidity and excess limescale .
Self-fertility and pollination
Tayberry 'Buckingham' is self-fertile : no other cultivar is needed to ensure pollination. No pollinator variety is recommended.
Resistance to diseases and pests
This variety is renowned for its excellent resistance to major Rubus diseases, including rust , powdery mildew and botrytis . Its tolerance is considered superior to standard Tayberry .
It also has good general resistance to pests. However, like all soft fruits, it remains susceptible to Drosophila Suzuki , particularly in hot and humid periods.
Drought resistance
Tayberry 'Buckingham' has a medium to low drought tolerance . It requires moist soil and regular watering in summer to ensure good size and optimum quality.
Rootstock and cultivation method
This variety is best grown on ungrafted stock by vegetative propagation. Grafting is neither common nor recommended . In case of specific need, a vigorous bramble rootstock can be used, but this remains exceptional.
Honey character
The flowering of Tayberry 'Buckingham' attracts bees and pollinating insects , making it an interesting honey plant for local biodiversity.
Comparable varieties
The Tayberry 'Buckingham' is similar to the Loganberry (more tart) and the Boysenberry (sweeter and juicier). However, it differs from them in its almost total absence of thorns , its high productivity and its superior taste quality .
To summarize: tayberry Buckingham
The 'Buckingham' tayberry combines several rare qualities: a productive plant, a juicy and tasty fruit, a natural resistance to diseases, and above all, ease of cultivation made possible by the absence of thorns. Thanks to its excellent yield (up to 25 tons per hectare), this variety is suitable for both direct consumption, in short supply chains, and for processing (coulis, sorbets, jams), where its organoleptic qualities work wonders. Its superficial root system requires well-drained soil and regular watering, but once well established, the 'Buckingham' tayberry is part of a sustainable and profitable production strategy.
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