Nelson blueberry is a tall, late-ripening variety developed in 1988 by crossing Bluecrop and Berkeley hybrids. The bush grows vertically, reaching heights of 130 to 180 cm, forming a narrow, upright, and dense crown. The leaves are oval or egg-shaped, with a characteristic gloss, turning bright shades of yellow, orange, red, and purple in autumn. The flowers are cream-white, pink, or red, arranged in elegant clusters, blooming late spring. Nelson blueberry is self-fertile, but for increased yield, it is recommended to plant it alongside varieties with matching flowering periods. The fruits of the Nelson variety are large, with a diameter up to 16 mm and a weight of about 2 grams, featuring a dark-blue skin with a waxy coating and a light-green, juicy flesh. The berries are tart-sweet, aromatic, slightly astringent, with a firm texture and small calyx. They remain on the bush for a long time without losing their flavor, making them convenient for transportation and storage. The blueberry is excellent for freezing, canning, and baking, as it withstands processing well while retaining its original taste. The berries easily detach from the calyx, allowing for both manual and mechanical harvesting. The Nelson variety is known for its high yield — up to 5 to 7 kg of berries per bush. Ripening begins in mid-July, but the main harvest occurs in late August and early September. The plant has high cold tolerance, surviving temperatures down to -34 °C, and its flowers withstand down to -7 °C, allowing cultivation in various climatic zones, including Ukraine. The blueberry is low-maintenance, disease-resistant, and suitable for both amateur cultivation and commercial plantations with mechanical harvesting.
