Amy

‘Amy’ (C. mollissima) is a G. Miller selection (72-400) from a 1972 planting of C. mollissima seedlings (Carrollton, OH), which is the same planting that produced ‘Miller 72-76’, ‘Gideon’, and ‘Peach’. Its mother was acquired from Ackerman Nursery, Bridgman, MI, in 1957. ‘Amy’ displayed greater cold hardiness than most other C. mollissima trialed in Carrollton, OH. It breaks bud relatively early in the spring (in Ohio and Missouri). It consistently bears high yields. DNA markers reveal that it is approximately one-eighth Japanese, which is likely contributed by its unknown father (unpublished data). Its Japanese ancestry provides some explanation for its high yield and early phenology. The cultivar’s nuts (small to medium) have an excellent flavor and peel well. ‘Amy’ matures earlier than ‘Eaton’ and ‘Sleeping Giant’. Ramets at HARC produced first and mature yields 7 and 9 years from grafting. The average nut size was 12 g during the early years of UMCA trials, but it decreased to 10 g or less with mature bearing. Blossom end rot was observed on ‘Amy’ in New Franklin, MO, in its 2013 crop. Mature yields varied moderately (2006–09), except for the complete crop loss during a double frost in Spring 2007. ‘Amy’ performed similarly in UTC trials (Metaxas, 2013).