🍅 Quick take: Rebel Starfighter Kayleigh Anne is an indeterminate, mid-early anthocyanin variety bred by Russ Crowe. In the garden, the fruits display variable shapes on the same vine, ranging from round and slightly flattened to blunt hearts, weighing between 2.1-7 oz (60-200 g). Known for outstanding rain resistance and tough skins that refuse to split, the interior offers sweet, juicy flesh with exotic apricot-pineapple notes and a signature pink splash in the core. Full summary ↓
Growers’ Notes and Photos (USDA Zone 6b Experience)
Rebel Starfighter Kayleigh Anne.
Indeterminate, easily shot past head-high out in the open ground, topping out around 6.5 ft (2 m).
Mid-early maturity. Fruits weighed anywhere from 2 to 7 oz (60-200 g).
Fruit shape is all over the board on a single vine, you get everything from classic round and slightly flattened slicers to blunt little heart shapes.
The skin is firm and resilient. It simply will not crack, even with torrential downpours or heavy overwatering. I would bet this one works great for whole-fruit canning.
The flesh is exceptionally juicy and tender. Slicing some of them open reveals a pretty little pink blush running straight down the core.
The flavor blew me away! Intensely sweet and tropical. At first bite it tasted just like pineapple, and then drifted right into ripe apricot. Deep fruity aroma with a lingering, sweet aftertaste.
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Indeterminate, easily shot past head-high out in the open ground, topping out around 6.5 ft (2 m).
Mid-early maturity. Fruits weighed anywhere from 2 to 7 oz (60-200 g).
Fruit shape is all over the board on a single vine, you get everything from classic round and slightly flattened slicers to blunt little heart shapes.
The skin is firm and resilient. It simply will not crack, even with torrential downpours or heavy overwatering. I would bet this one works great for whole-fruit canning.
The flesh is exceptionally juicy and tender. Slicing some of them open reveals a pretty little pink blush running straight down the core.
The flavor blew me away! Intensely sweet and tropical. At first bite it tasted just like pineapple, and then drifted right into ripe apricot. Deep fruity aroma with a lingering, sweet aftertaste.
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Full Summary: Plant, Yield, Taste and Storage
- 🌿 Plant: Vigorous indeterminate vine reaching over 6.5 ft (2 m) grown outdoors in full sun. Displays shape polymorphism across the season, throwing round, oblate, and oxheart-leaning shapes simultaneously. Mid-early maturity.
- 📈 Yield & Resilience: Excellent split resistance. Stood up to soaking summer rains and inconsistent moisture without checking or blossom cracking. Fruit sizes range from saladette size to small slicers at 2.1-7 oz (60-200 g).
- 👅 Taste: Sweet, vibrant, and overtly fruity with distinct tropical notes reminiscent of fresh pineapple and apricot, balanced by tender, juicy flesh.
- 📦 Canning Utility: Tougher outer skin makes smaller specimens potential candidates for whole-pack canning and processing without skins slipping or bursting.
- 🌎 Who Reviewed It: Grown in open ground in Volgograd, Russia (USDA Zone 6b), characterized by hot, dry continental summers punctuated by heavy downpours.
🍅 Grown Rebel Starfighter Kayleigh Anne? Did your vines throw blunt hearts or round slicers? Share your fruit shapes and flavor notes in the comments below!
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