Early ripening southern highbush with yield equal to or better than O’Neal. Origin: USDA-ARS, Chatsworth, NJ and North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC by A.D. Draper, J.R. Ballington, C.M. Mainland and W.T. Bland. NC 1408 (Elizabeth × US 75) × Bluechip; selected 1987; tested as US 508; intro. 2014; USPP 26,899; 5 July 2016. Tree: vigor average; semi-upright; appears best adapted to good highbush blueberry soils; self-fruitful; readily propagated by soft-wood cuttings; chilling requirement 600-700 h. Fruit: large, with a higher percent large berries than O’Neal, New Hanover, or Duke; light blue; firm; picking scar, flavor and shelf life good; ripens between O’Neal and New Hanover.
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