Honeysuckle variety Lazurnaya
Azure - mid-season honeysuckle of Siberian selection. Bred in NIISS (Barnaul) through selection between seedlings from free pollination of Kamchatka honeysuckle (variety "Start"). The seeds were sown in 1965. The authorship belongs to Z.P. Zholobova, I.P. Kalinina and Z.I. Archer.
In 1983, the variety was accepted into the State Test, but was never included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements of the Russian Federation.
The bushes are medium-sized (up to 1.7 m in height), medium-spreading, with an inverse conical crown. The shoots are thin, without pubescence, painted in a light green color, during the period of active growth, the color of the shoots from the sunny side becomes pinkish. The leaves are large, oblong-oval, with a slight hairiness and a convex base. Stipules are small, located only in the upper part of the shoot.
Berries of Azure honeysuckle are large (weighing 0.9 - 1.4 g, length - 1.5 - 2 cm), elongated oval-conical shape, with a characteristic thickening in the middle part and a pointed apex. The skin is of medium density, dark blue with a light blue bloom. The peduncles are long, thin. Half-open cup. The attachment strength of the berries is average.
The pulp has a delicate consistency, pleasant sweet and sour taste (practically without sourness), without bitterness, with a blueberry aroma. Tasting taste assessment - 4.5 - 4.6 points.
By chemical composition, the berries contain: the sum of sugars (no more than 3.04%), acids (no more than 1.85%), vitamin C (no more than 22.7 mg / 100 g), vitamin P (no more than 1010 mg / 100g). In terms of use, the variety is universal (jelly, preserves, compotes, wines, juices).
Photo: Kerezhene Lyudmila, Kaliningrad
The fruits ripen together in mid-June. The degree of crumbling of ripe berries is weak.
The early maturity of Azure Honeysuckle is good (3-4 years), fruiting is regular, annual.
At a young age, yields are low (from 0.5 to 1.5 kg / bush). The average productivity of a bush at the age of 6 - 7 years is 2.3 kg of fruits (or 7.0 t / ha), at the age of 14 - 13.3 t / ha (with a planting scheme of 3 × 1 m).
The variety is winter-hardy, moisture-loving, resistant to diseases and pests.
The variety is partially self-fertile (27%). Among the best pollinators, varieties are distinguished: Cinderella, Blue Spindle, Long-fruited, Gerda, Blue bird.
The main advantages of Lazurnaya honeysuckle include: large fruits with good taste, partial self-fertility, low shedding of berries.
Speaking of the shortcomings, they indicate low yields in the first few years of fruiting.
