15 of the best blueberry varieties
The number of people who want to feast on the aromatic bright blue berry is growing from year to year. A rare gardener does not dream of planting a beautiful deciduous shrub on his site. The fruits of this plant are considered the most useful for many diseases of the genitourinary, cardiovascular, and digestive systems of the body. Doctors recommend including them in the diet to lower blood sugar levels. The greenery of the bush contains a high content of tannins, which have anti-inflammatory properties.
North America is considered the birthplace of blueberries. Wild berries are found everywhere there. Through the efforts of breeders, more than a hundred varieties of this plant with different ripening periods have been bred. This helped to spread the shrub to different climatic zones, which was a real gift for gardeners. The plant is unpretentious in care, resistant to many diseases. It is believed that blueberries are self-fertile, but experienced agronomists recommend planting different varieties in the neighborhood so that they please with higher yields. Before planting, you need to carefully study the type of plant, choose the most suitable for growing in a certain climate. Most of them become centenarians and bear fruit for more than a decade. Below are the best blueberry varieties, depending on the ripeness of the berries.
The best early blueberry varieties
Gardeners are always competing in the speed of harvesting. Therefore, early ripeness varieties are considered the most popular. The fruits are suitable for fresh consumption from the second decade of July.
5 Eriblu
The plant is medium-sized, its height is no more than 1.8 m. It was bred by US breeders more than 60 years ago and still remains the best early-maturing species for them. There are a small number of branches on the bush, which makes it easier to care for and pick berries. Frequent pruning is not required. Fruits of a beautiful pale blue color with a firm pulp, unusual taste and aroma. They are considered fully ripe in the middle of summer; they do not fall off before this period. The plant can withstand low temperatures, is not susceptible to diseases of fruit crops. Berries are consumed mainly fresh.
4 Duke
Central Russia is characterized by unexpected frosts in late spring, which affects many early flowering plants. Therefore, Duke is considered the best for this climate, since it blooms with a delay, but fruiting does not suffer from this. Plant height reaches 1.8 m. From the beginning of flowering to the first harvest, no more than 45 days pass. The variety is fruitful - up to 8 kg of blueberries are stable from one bush. The fruits are large, up to 2.5 cm in diameter, with a dense skin. It is consumed both fresh and frozen. According to gardeners, when cooled, the taste becomes richer.
3 Spartan
The plant reaches a height of 1.8 - 2.0 m. The leaves are shiny, dark green in color, which by autumn acquire a bright orange color. The berries are round, dense, large, light blue. Flowers are similar to delicate bells, have a pronounced aroma. Bushes are often planted as ornamental. Spartan is the earliest blueberry species, you can enjoy its fruits from the beginning of July. The yield reaches 6 kg. The variety is distinguished by good resistance to diseases, excellently tolerates transportation over long distances.
2 River
The shrub grows up to 2 m in height. Differs in high growth rate, medium-sized berries with dense skin, which makes them suitable for long-term transportation. The Reka variety is one of the most productive, more than 10 kg of berries are harvested from one bush, and the record collection was 18 kg. Ripe fruits are on the plant for a long time. Regular pruning is required to maintain high productivity. Fruits with a slight sourness, used fresh and canned.It is resistant to diseases typical of fruit plants. According to the gardeners of the Moscow region, the plant adapts well in their climate, bears fruit in the third year. On the whole, it belongs to commercial blueberry varieties.
1 Northland
Plants are not tall, but branched, reaching 1.2 m. They are used to decorate the site. Fruits are bright blue, sweet, reach full maturity in the second decade of July. Suitable for long-term storage and transportation. Productivity up to 8 kg per bush. The most important advantage is considered to be its frost resistance. Withstands temperatures below 35 degrees. Due to this, it is popular in northern regions with extreme climates. The growing season is short. Used fresh and canned. Annual crown pruning helps to maintain high productivity of the variety.
The best mid-season blueberry varieties
Plants of medium maturity occupy a worthy place in garden plots. Ripen in the second half of summer, suitable for long-term storage and transportation over long distances.
5 Polaris
With a plant height of 1 m, the variety is famous for its high resistance to low temperatures. The shoots of the bush are strongly branching, directed upwards. To maintain an attractive appearance, regular crown formation is necessary. Climatic conditions change the timing of fruit ripening. In consistently warm weather, the plant bears fruit earlier. In the Moscow region and the Central region, the variety is considered mid-season. Berries with a high sugar content and a pleasant aroma. The plant needs peat fertilization in the soil.
4 Northcountry
A plant with a dense crown, not tall, reaching 90 cm. Northcantry blueberry of an unusual sky-blue color with an amazing sweet taste and attractive aroma. The berries are medium-sized, up to 15 mm in diameter. Stable yield up to 3 kg, high winter hardiness made the variety a favorite among gardeners of northern climatic zones. Due to the beautiful foliage and berries, the plant is actively used as a decorative hedge. It takes a little time from the beginning of flowering to harvesting. Does not require special soil preparation before planting, easy to maintain.
3 Patriot
The rapidly growing berry bush reaches 2 m in height. The arrangement of the branches is rare. Doesn't require frequent pruning. Differs in resistance to fungi, late blight. Full ripening is observed from the second half of July. The variety is frost-resistant, easily survives a drop in temperatures down to -30 degrees, well suited for the Moscow region. Gardeners note the unusualness of large berries, slightly flattened, with a barely noticeable scar and very pleasant to the taste. The berries are red to the full degree of ripeness; this property is used to decorate the garden. The plant is not demanding on the composition of the soil, which makes it possible to expand its distribution.
2 Northblue
The plant is of medium ripeness, the first harvest is harvested in the first days of August. Fruits are medium-sized, deep blue, suitable for long-term storage. Fruiting is stable, 3-3.5 kg per bush. High frost resistance helps blueberries to take root in the middle lane, in Siberia. The best varietal winter hardiness is also due to the low growth of the plant, which reaches a height of 60-120 cm. Northblu boldly withstands frosts down to minus 40 degrees.
1 Toro
The presence of Toro blueberries on the plot guarantees a consistently high yield of large juicy berries. Fruits are harvested several times in early August. A voluminous bush with a height of 2 m, reaches a diameter of 100 cm. The plant begins to bear fruit in the third year after planting. The variety is considered one of the high-yielding varieties, the mass of berries during the growing season reaches 10 kg per plant. Excellent taste and aroma are inherent not only in fresh berries, but are preserved after processing. The fruits are resistant to shedding and cracking. In cold climates, it is quite stable. Profitable from a commercial point of view.
The best late-ripening blueberry varieties
In horticulture, highly early maturing and late maturing plant species are valued equally. Eating canned blueberries is considered to be no less beneficial than fresh. Fruits of late-ripening varieties are suitable for preparations in the form of jam, jelly, yoghurts, retain their nutritional properties when frozen. Berries ripen only in stable warm weather for a long time. Grown in the southern regions.
5 Nelson
Late ripeness is one of the advantages of the variety. This allows you to save the harvest and make high-quality harvests for the winter. When the berry season ends in the garden, Nelson is just beginning three weeks of fruiting. The period for the preparation of vitamins is extended. The yield of the plant reaches 8-9 kg. Active collection falls on the second half of August. Berries are large in size up to 20 mm in diameter, pale blue with a wine flavor. According to gardeners, it grows well in the middle zone, Non-Black Earth Region, and the North.
4 Chandler
One of the large-fruited shrubs, the berries of which reach a diameter of 30 mm, and by weight 5 grams. Their dense, clarified pulp has a pleasant sweetish flavor. Fruiting occurs in the second half of August and early September. According to consumer reviews, you can collect 8 kg from a bush per season. Plant height 2 m, crown is not spreading. It calmly experiences frosts below 30 degrees. Ripening of berries lasts 1-1.5 months, which makes it possible to use the Chandler variety with commercial benefits in the conditions of the Moscow Region, the Central District. The berries are suitable for hand picking.
3 Elliot
The plant is tall, reaches 2 m, grows straight up. Fruits are medium-sized, up to 15 mm in diameter, bright blue in color, with a slight bloom of wax. Resistant to cracking, but may crumble moderately. The variety is unpretentious to watering and soil structure. In a rainy summer, the berries acquire a piquant bitterness. It is considered a productive plant, the total weight of fruits from a bush per season reaches 6-9 kg. Elliot is distinguished by a high content of anthocyanins in the composition, which provides medicinal properties for inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. No blueberry species has been able to change this ratio.
2 Jersey
The plant was bred a little less than a century ago. During this time, it is highly regarded as the best pollinator. Gardeners' reviews indicate that its cultivation is ideal next to the Bluecrop variety. At the same time, the Jersey crop ripens in the second decade of August. A large shrub with a spreading crown 2 m high. Survives unexpected spring frosts perfectly. Recommended for planting in the middle lane with a temperate climate. Berries are light blue in color with a pronounced taste. During the season, 6 kg of fruits are harvested from one plant.
1 Elizabeth
Agronomists note the special attractiveness of the taste and aroma of the variety. Customer reviews fully confirm this. Sweet and large berries up to 23 mm in diameter with dense pulp ripen in the first days of August. Due to the peculiarities of taste, they are ranked as dessert varieties. The growing season is shortened. In appearance, the bush is classified as decorative, since the branches have a characteristic red tint. The plant is large in all respects - a height of 2 m, a diameter of more than 1 m. The yield is within 4-7 kg. Collection and transportation is simplified due to the easy tearing off of the fruit, which does not deform. The plant survives frosts well below 30 degrees.
