Rumba
A Dutch variety bred by Fresh Forward.
An early variety which produces fruits at the same time as Honeoye but it has an elongated picking period. The yield is very high. Fruits are large with a pretty gloss and bright red colour. They have a good shelf-life and do not lose their good appearance during storage. Fruits are sweet and juicy with a good aroma.
Rumba is suitable to different growing systems. In colder regions it can be grown with success because of its good winter hardiness. Plants have a strong vigour and grow healthily – they are not susceptible to the main strawberry diseases (Verticillium and Phytophthora).
Vibrant
An English variety bred in East Malling Research. Produces fruits slightly earlier than Honeoye with a higher yield.
Compared to the Honeoye variety, berries are uniformed with a more regular shape and a good flavour. Satisfactory fruit size and gloss make this variety very attractive on the market. Fruits are well exposed on the plant, which guarantees efficient picking.
Shelf life is better than Honeoye and similar to Elsanta. This variety can be successfully used for accelerating growth under cover (foil or polyethylene mulch).
Vibrant is mildly susceptible to Verticillim with good resistance to Powdery mildew and other diseases.
Honeoye
An American variety which began to be grown in 1979.
A typical dessert variety, with an early fruiting season, 7-10 days earlier than Senga Sengana. It is especially suitable for accelerating growth under cover.
It gives medium to large fruit. The skin is intensively red with a high gloss. Fruits are of average firmness, with a juicy centre, wine-sweet and aromatic.
They have a low-grade susceptibility to wilt infection. Leaves are highly resistant to diseases. Although plants are quite sensitive to Vericillium.
This variety has a medium resistancy to winter frost and because of the early flowering season, flowers may be damaged by late frosts.
Kent
A Canadian variety, bred in 1981.
An excellent, rather early dessert variety. Produces fruits 5-7 days before Senga Sengana. It is suitable for accelerating growth in the open field. This variety gives a high yield with a long picking period.
Fruits are medium to large, firm with gloss. Kent tolerates transportation very well. The pulp is light red, juicy and tasty.
Plants are very resistant to low temperatures and flowers to frosts. Fruits can be infected to a low degree by grey mould and plants are resistant to leaf diseases but slightly susceptible to Verticillium.
Elsanta
A Dutch variety, bred in 1981.
It is a typical dessert variety with excellent fruit firmness which tolerates transportation very well. Elsanta is the best variety for controlled cultivation in the open field and under cover. A good yield is achieved on light soils supplied with water.
Berries are large and very attractive. Its skin is light red with an intensive gloss. Pulp is light red, slightly sour, aromatic and tasty.
This variety produces fruits 3-5 days before Senga Sengana.
Fruits can be infected at a low degree by Grey mould. Leaves are resistant to common leaf spot caused by Mycosphaerella fragariae and leaf scorch caused by Diplocarpon earilana but rather susceptible to powdery mildew.
Plants are susceptible to root diseases and during hard snowless winters this variety can be damaged by frost. It needs good frost protection.
An English variety bred in East Malling Research. It produces fruits slightly later than Elsanta and has a longer picking period.
Yield potential and class I fruit content in the total yield is better than that of Elsanta.
Fruits are very attractive - big, bright, shiny and uniformed, with a regular shape and good flavour. Elegance has an excellent shelf life which makes this variety extremely interesting for supermarkets which also value its appearance.
Elegance has a better yield than Elsanta and fruits are well-exposed on the plants and are easy to pick. Its firm skin helps this variety to stand even very intensive rainfall as well as a postponed picking date.
Elegance shows resistance to Phytophthora cactorum and Vericillium wilt but it is mildly susceptible to powdery mildew.
Senga-sengana
A German variety, grown since 1954.
A basic variety for industrial purposes and for freezing. Senga has a high yield and is tolerant to drought as well as to low temperatures.
Fruits are very tasty with an aromatic and intensively red pulp. It is very easy to remove the stalks. One disadvantage of this fruit is its poor firmness and short shelf life. This variety gives fruits 7-10 days after Kama.
Fruits are very susceptible to common leaf spot and resistant to root diseases and nemathodes.
Polka
A Dutch variety, grown since 1985.
A universal variety useful for industry and freezing. It has average needs for water to be present in the soil. Polka is very productive and it is good for transportation.
Berries are firm and medium-sized. Pulp is intensively red, tasty and aromatic. It is easy to remove stalks. Fruiting time is similar to that of Senga Sengana.
Fruits are susceptible to grey mould, plants are resistant to powdery mildew but susceptible to Verticillium wilt. Plants are tolerant to winter frosts and flowers to spring ones, similar to Senga Sengana.
Pegasus
A variety bred in Great Britain, grown since 1990.
It is a valuable dessert variety, giving an average yield but with attractive fruits, similar to those of Elsanta. Berries are quite firm, medium-sized and large with no tendency to decrease the fruit size. The pulp is lighter than the skin, sweetish, not very aromatic but with a good flavour.
Pegasus produces fruits at the same time as Senga Sengana. It is highly resistant to root diseases as well as leaf diseases. Observations have shown that this variety is resistant enough to low winter temperatures..
Matis
A French variety bred by Marionnet. It is a rather late variety which produces fruits 5-7 days after Elsanta. A share of class I fruits in the total yield is high and there are almost no fruits which are non-marketable.
Berries are large to very large, glossy, with a regular shape, light red colour and have good flavor.
They are extremely tolerant to transportation. Plants grow healthily with good vigour.
Matis show high tolerance to Verticillium wilt, Phytophthora cactorum and powdery mildew.
Cupid
An English variety bred in East Malling Research. Typical late dessert variety which produces fruits at the same time as Florence.
Their fruits are glossy, rather bright red with a regular conical shape and have a very good taste. The content of class I fruit in the total yield is high. The firm skin helps it to stand intensive rainfalls as well as long distance transportation.
The plant is rather compact and shows a high resistance to the most dangerous strawberry diseases such as Verticillium wilt, Phytophthora cactorum and powdery mildew.
Florence
A typically late dessert variety bred in East Malling Research, England. It produces high quality fruits 7-10 days after Elsanta. It has low susceptibility to powdery mildew and other leaf diseases and also Verticillium wilt and Phytophthora cactorum. Berries have a regular shape, with quite firm slightly dark red skin. It has a good flavour and aroma. Fruits are well-displayed on the plant, which helps in picking. The majority of the yield are medium or large fruits.
Florence is especially good for those producers who want to lengthen the picking period, requiring at the same time, high quality fruits with lower costs. This variety is easy to grow and it can be useful in areas where different varieties let you down.
Albion
A Californian variety, bred in 2004.
It gives fruits from spring to autumn. One advantage of this variety is the exceptional fruit quality: large and firm with an excellent flavour. The fruit has a regular conical shape.
Albion is resistant to Verticillium wilt and Phytophthora cactorum and also moderately resistant to anthracnose. During the second part of the summer it sometimes requires protection against the lygus bud which causes misshapen fruits. Similar to most everbearer varieties, in snowless winters it requires protection against frosts
Comparison of the picking periods
