$36.00
– Sold OutRebel is a very early-season southern highbush blueberry developed by the University of Georgia. It is valued for its vigorous growth, early production, high yields, and large, attractive berries.
The berries have good firmness, a small dry picking scar, attractive blue color, and a mild flavor with excellent texture. Rebel begins producing at a young age and ripens earlier than many traditional southern highbush varieties, making it a good choice for gardeners and growers wanting an early blueberry harvest.
Plant Details
Four-year-old Rebel plants have reached approximately 4–6 feet tall. The plants develop numerous canes from the crown and have excellent vigor. Rebel has also shown greater tolerance to Septoria leaf spot than Star in cultivar testing.
Best Pollinator Partners
Rebel has a moderate degree of self-fruitfulness, so one plant may produce some berries. However, it should be planted near a different southern highbush variety with a similar bloom period for the best fruit set, berry size, and overall harvest.
The original cultivar information recommends Star, O’Neal, or Palmetto as pollinators. From the southern highbush varieties currently carried by Advanced Nursery Growers, recommended partners include:
Farthing is probably the strongest practical match because both Farthing and Rebel are early-flowering southern highbush varieties with bloom periods close to Star. Sweetcrisp, Emerald, and Jewel may also provide useful bloom overlap, although exact timing will vary with winter temperatures and spring weather.
Pearl generally flowers about 7–10 days after Star, so it may bloom too late to be Rebel’s most dependable pollinator. Gupton may provide some overlap in certain seasons, but it would not be my first recommendation without observing their bloom periods together at your nursery.
Do not list rabbiteye blueberries such as Austin, Alapaha, Brightwell, Climax, Premier, Powderblue, or Tifblue as Rebel’s primary pollinators. Rebel should be paired with another southern highbush blueberry.
Important Pollination Reminder
Two Rebel plants are genetically the same variety and do not provide true cross-pollination for one another. Plant at least one different southern highbush variety nearby so bees can move compatible pollen between the flowers.
Bloom timing changes with winter chilling, warm spells, and spring temperatures. Growing two or three compatible southern highbush varieties can provide a better opportunity for dependable overlap.
North Florida Growing Note
Rebel’s 400–450-hour chilling requirement is a good match for much of North Florida and the Florida Panhandle. It is a better chilling match for our area than extremely low-chill southern highbush varieties.
However, Rebel flowers early and may be vulnerable to late winter or early spring freezes. Plant it in a protected location and be prepared to cover flowering plants when freezing temperatures are forecast.
Rebel leafs out readily during and shortly after flowering. This helps provide foliage to support the developing berries and is one of its advantages over some early southern highbush varieties.
Southern highbush blueberries require more careful soil preparation and drainage than rabbiteye varieties. For beginning gardeners who want the easiest blueberry for the Florida Panhandle, rabbiteye blueberries are generally more forgiving.
Soil and Planting Note
Plant Rebel in acidic soil with plenty of organic matter and excellent drainage. Blueberries have shallow roots and should never be planted where water stands around the root system.
Amend the planting area with pine bark, pine fines, or peat moss. Where the native soil drains poorly or has an unsuitable pH, plant in a raised bed, planting mound, or large container filled with an acidic blueberry-growing mix.
Apply pine bark mulch around the plant to conserve moisture, reduce weeds, and protect the shallow roots. Keep the mulch a few inches away from the stems.
Do not add lime around blueberry plants because lime raises the soil pH.
Pruning Note
Rebel is vigorous and produces numerous canes from the crown. Remove dead, damaged, weak, or crowded stems to maintain air circulation and encourage healthy new fruiting wood.
Established plants benefit from annual pruning to control height, prevent overcrowding, and maintain good berry size. Avoid allowing young plants to carry a heavy crop before they have developed a strong root system.
Harvesting Note
Rebel berries ripen very early and should be allowed to become completely blue before harvesting. Early berries may weigh approximately 2½–3 grams each, while berries from later pickings may be somewhat smaller.
Pick ripe berries regularly and refrigerate them soon after harvest. Rebel is especially suited for fresh eating, local farm-market sales, baking, freezing, preserves, and U-pick gardens.
Local Pickup and Shipping
Available for local pickup at Advanced Nursery Growers in DeFuniak Springs, Florida.
Limited shipping may be available for select smaller plants. Please contact us before placing an order that will require shipping so we can confirm availability, plant size, and shipping cost.
Wholesale Availability
Wholesale pricing may be available for qualifying quantities. Please contact us for current plant sizes, availability, and wholesale information.
Advanced Nursery Growers
1911 McLeod Road
DeFuniak Springs, FL 32435
Call: 850-391-2228
Email: info@advancednurserygrowers.com
