Pollen is abundant and fertile. For this reason and for its desirable characteristic, Katahdin appears in the pedigrees of many North American varieties. Tubers are round to oblong with buff, smooth skin and creamy white flesh. Lateral eyes are shallow and apical eyes are moderately deep. Specific gravity and cooking quality are medium.
Dormancy is medium.
Katahdin is susceptible to scab and resistant to mild mosaic, net necrosis and brown rot. It does not have a high degree of resistance to other major diseases, but neither is it especially susceptible to them. Tubers develop high in the hill and are subject to greening. Tubers are seldom misshapen, but may be irregular in shape under some growing conditions. The variety acquired its popularity because of its consistent performance under a wide range of conditions.