Honeysuckle Slavyanka

Slavyanka is a middle-season highbush blueberry cultivar with universal properties for both fresh consumption and processing. Bushes reach a height of 1.5 to 1.9 m and a width of no more than 1.5 m, featuring a wide, dense, reverse-conical crown and straight, light-pink, slightly pubescent shoots. Leaves are large, oval, dark green, while berries are blueish-blue, oval-shaped, up to 3 cm long, and weigh approximately 0.8–1 g. The pulp is tender, with a sweet-and-sour taste and a strong aroma.

The cultivar is characterized by high yield: average yield is 40 c/ha, maximum yield is 2.1 kg/bush (70 c/ha). It is resistant to frost and diseases, as well as demonstrating good winter hardiness. Highbush blueberries prefer fertile, neutral soil with good drainage; waterlogging is harmful, so the distance to groundwater should be at least 1.5 m. The plant grows best in sunny areas or partial shade.

Slavyanka is a self-sterile cultivar requiring cultivation alongside other blueberry varieties (e.g., Sinaya Ptitsa, Lazurnaya) to increase yield. It is widely distributed across regions of Russia: from Northern and Western Siberian regions to the Far Eastern Region. Due to high sugar content (≈9.3%) and vitamin C (≈52 mg/100 g), the berries are suitable for desserts, as well as for producing juices, jams, and other products.