SPECIALTY POTATO CULTIVARS

Adapted from Erik Jon Sorensen

Washington State University, Cooperative Extension

Benton - Franklin Counties

Potato tubers exhibit a wide range of shapes, sizes, and colors. In addition to the familiar russets, whites, and reds, there are yellow, pink, and purple or blue skinned cultivars available. Flesh color ranges from white to dark yellow, with some cultivars having shades of pink and purple. There are also important differences in the texture, flavor, and the nutritive value of potato tubers. Precisely what constitutes a specialty potato depends upon the market. While yellow fleshed cultivars are considered to be specialty items in the United States, they are the standard in most of the rest of the world.

This is not a complete list of all specialty potato cultivars. Yellow fleshed potatoes, particularly the cultivars Yellow Finn, Bintje and Yukon Gold, and purple skinned and/or fleshed cultivars such as All Blue and Peruvian Purple, have been marketed with considerable success and are now being grown commercially on an increasing number of farms. Cultivars with very small tubers, or fingerling potatoes, are also becoming popular with customers. Not all of the cultivars on this list are widely available. Growers are reminded that cultivars need to be selected for their adaptation to local growing conditions as well as for their marketability.

 

name remarks

All Blue late maturing, oblong, blue skinned tubers with dark blue flesh, for specialty market, good storage

Banana late maturing, small, yellow skinned tubers, "fingerling" size for specialty market

Bintje late maturing, oblong, yellow skin, pale yellow flesh, leading cultivar in Holland

Caribe med-late maturing, oblong, white flesh, purple-blue skin, adapted, uniform

Delta Gold med-late maturing, round, yellow skinned tubers with yellow flesh, large upright plant, good for baking and frying, high solids

Desiree late maturing, oval tubers with light red skin and yellow flesh, medium large spreading plant, for fresh market, excellent for boiling

Grata late maturing, yellow skin and flesh, leading cultivar in West Germany.

Purple Chief medium maturity, long oval, purple skin, white flesh, good yield

Red Gold med-early maturity, round, red skinned tubers with yellow fleshmedium to large plant, for fresh market, good for boiling, baking and frying, waxy texture

Redsen early maturing, round, red skinned tubers, good color, upright plant, for fresh market

Rose Gold medium maturity, round, pale red skin, yellow flesh, waxy texture

Ruby Crescent long curved shape, pink skin, yellow flesh, fingerling

Saginaw Gold medium maturity, oval, buff skin, pale yellow flesh, from Michigan, good for frying

Urgenta long maturity, long oval, pink skin, pale yellow flesh, excellent cooking quality, from Holland

Yellow Finn late maturing, flattened oval tubers, yellow skin with yellow flesh, for fresh market, from Finland

Yukon Gold medium maturity, oval, yellow skinned tubers with yellow flesh,medium sized upright plant, for fresh market, good for boiling, baking, and frying, high solids, widely grown

Selected mail order companies:

These companies may not have all of the above listed varieties, and other outlets may also exist. Potatoes brought into California should have certification documentation to avoid the possibility of serious diseases.

Ronniger's Seed Potatoes

Star Route

Moyie Springs, ID 83845

Becker's Seed Potatoes

R.R. #1

Trout Creek, Ontario POH2L0

CANADA

Seeds Blum

Idaho City Stage

Boise, ID 83706

Abundant Life Seed Foundation

P.O. Box 772

Port Townsend, WA 98368

(206) 385-5660

Pinetree Garden Seeds

New Gloucester, ME 04260

(207) 926-3400

For more information, contact:

Eric Jon Sorensen

Cooperative Extension - WSU

Courthouse

Pasco, WA 99301

Ron Voss

Vegetable Crops Dept.

Univ. of California

Davis, CA 95616