BLACKRED VIII : 22C553 : "BLACK KING"

DARK PURPLE TO BLACK SKIN / RED FLESH

Ripens:  +23 About August 17th in Kingsburg, CA

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MATURITY Ripens +23, about August 17th in Kingsburg.
SKIN COLOR Dark purple to black with a light freckling toward the apex.
FLESH COLOR Red very close to the skin, creamy pink in the center and toward the stone.
SHAPE Globose to oblate with a very flat apex.
SIZE Very large, typically 2 7/8" (73 mm) with a heavy crop in the breeding grounds.
TEXTURE Very firm, crisp, solid, only a medium amount of juice.
FLAVOR Excellent flavor with a balance between acid and sugar, typically 19-23 brix.
AROMA Moderate.
SKIN CRACKING No problems observed.
CROPPING Heavy, with no crop failures observed.
BLOOMING PERIOD Early, starts 1 day after Ambra, blooms over a long period.
CONFIRMED POLLINATORS

 work both ways
Information Flower Variety Type Ripens Flower Bloom Code Year Pollinator Poll. Bloom Code No. Set
Black Knight BR VIII 22C553 P/R +23 2 2008 21C262 3 8
Black Knight BR VIII 22C553 B/R +23 2 2013 26C167 4 6
Black Knight BR VIII 22C553 P/R +23 2 2010 38P827 3 4
Black Knight BR VIII 22C553 P/R +23 2 2008 37P250 3 3
Black Knight BR VIII 22C553 P/R +23 2 2008 22C66 2 3
Black Knight BR VIII 22C553 P/R +23 2 2007 21P1225 3 3
WILL POLLINATE THESE OTHER VARIETIES

work both ways
Information Flower Variety Type Ripens Flower Bloom Code Year Pollinator Poll. Bloom Code No. Set
Cinnamon BR II 21C262 P/R -50 3 2013 22C553 2 20
Midnight/Bl.Maj. BR XI 0C768 B/R +35 4 2013 22C553 2 13
6M555 RY/R -4 4 2010 22C553 2 12
42P147 B/R +5 4 2010 22C553 2 12
BLACKRUBY BR VI 27C714 B/dR -40 3 2011 22C553 2 10
4M103 G/GY +82 2 2010 22C553 2 10
39M762 RG/R -4 3 2010 22C553 2 10
Honeysuckle Rose YS II 38P827 Y/Y -15 3 2009 22C553 2 10
Black Nectar BR I 37P568 R/R -60 3 2013 22C553 2 9
Raspberry Jewel PS II 39P785 B/dR -5 4 2010 22C553 2 9
Black Jack BR XII 0C498 B/R +45 6 2009 22C553 2 8
5M290 R/R +1 3 2010 22C553 2 7
Red Noble Red Noble P/Y -63 5 2010 22C553 2 6
26C61 P&Y/Y -15 3 2010 22C553 2 5
Crocodile Egg/Wartfrog 0C142 G&R +10 3 2011 22C553 2 4
Red Phoenix PR VII 1C116 G&R/R -10 8 2009 22C553 2 3
Ebony Sweet BR III 22C321 B/Pk -18 3 2011 22C553 2 3
Midnight/Bl.Maj. BR XI 0C768 B/Pk +35 6 2012 22C553 2 2
Honey Red Dino PS VIII 21C83 RG/R -43 3 2011 22C553 2 2
26C207 RG/R -15 3 2011 22C553 2 2
7M525 R/Y +100 3 2010 22C553 2 2
Midnight Jewel PS V 40P60 P/Pk +20 5 2009 22C553 2 2
   
   
BLOSSOM DENSITY Heavy bloom.
FLOWER TYPE Medium white flower, orange yellow anthers.
POLLEN PRODUCTION Strong, bee enticing.
PLANTING SUGGESTIONS

Solid Orchard:  Spike one limb of a percentage of the trees with a mix of the above pollinators - 50% should work.

 

2-Variety 4-Row Combination Planting:  Blackred VIII (22C553) Could be planted in combination alone with Yellowsweet II (38P827).  Again, it would be cheap insurance to spike every 4th tree in the middle two rows with an appropriate pollinator. 

 

Other Combinations:  Blackred VIII (22C553) could be planted very successfully in several different combinations utilizing the list of varieties that Blackred VIII pollinates or is pollinated by.  If the confirmed pollination is unidirectional, then confirmed pollinators must be added as required.  For example, Blackred VIII (22C553) could be planted in combination with Plumred XII (0C498) requiring a pollinator spiked in the Blackred VIII's.  Second example:  Blackred VIII (22C553) could be planted with Cinamon - Blackred II (21C262) requiring a pollinator spiked in the Blackred II's.
TREE DESCRIPTION Upright, good vigor.
COLD STORAGE DATA  
OVERALL Recommended.  Very large size, strong fruit quality, good cropping characteristics, observed to withstand very hot climatic conditions, Kingsburg Orchards has planted one test orchard.

POLLINATOR RATINGS

0-1:  No conclusive value

2-3:  Can Be Used If Necessary

4-6:  Good Pollinator

7-9:  Outstanding Pollinator

10+:  Double Barrel

 

Spiking a pollinator means to graft a central limb of the commercial variety with one of the confirmed pollinators.  The recommended method would be to spike each tree once, but alternate more than one confirmed pollinator throughout the commercial orchard.  However, some varieties are easy to set and require spikes in about 25% to 50% of the trees.  Some growers prefer to interplant the pollinator in the same row between two trees of the preferred variety and grow them in a flagpole or or very upright V-style, often pulling and tying a limb toward the center of each adjoining tree.

 

Combination plantings are made of 2 or 3 varieties that usually benefit each other for pollination.  Alternating 4 rows of each is most common, alternating 2 rows of each gives better pollination, but does not harvest as efficiently.  Also, it is usually beneficial to insert pollinators along the center 2 rows of a 4 row planting.