- Authors: M.N. Plekhanov, A.V. Kondrikov (VIR named after N.I. Vavilov)
- Name synonyms: Nimfa
- Growth type: medium-sized
- Description of the bush: slightly spreading
- Bush height, m: 2
- Escapes: long, straight, thick, brownish green, with a slight anthocyanin coloration
- Leaves: large, dark green, elongated-oval
- Transportability: good
- Crown: round, medium density
- Fruit size: large
Honeysuckle Nimfa (Nimfa) is a versatile edible variety rich in useful vitamins. Plants are unpretentious, frost-resistant, not capricious in relation to growing conditions. The nymph is considered one of the most attractive fruiting shrubs, this honeysuckle in itself can become a real decoration of the site.
Breeding history
The variety was bred by the specialists of the VIR them. N.I. Vavilova (Pavlovskaya station) in St. Petersburg. When obtaining it, the method of free pollination of the Leningradsky Giant honeysuckle variety was used. The desired results were achieved in 1992, but the new variety was expected to be included in the State Register of the Russian Federation for another 6 years. Initially, this honeysuckle was called Gamma, but then the name was changed - under it it is known today.
Description of the variety
The bushes are medium-sized, slightly spreading, up to 2 m tall. The crown of the Nymph honeysuckle variety is round, of medium density, with straight branches. Shoots are long, thick, with the main brownish-green tint of the bark and anthocyanin integumentary. The leaves on the bush are elongated-oval in shape, large in size.
The shoots of the plant are pubescent. Externally, the bush looks very decorative, suitable for use in landscape design. Its young shoots are painted in a light green shade, pubescent, it is easy to distinguish them from mature ones. The inflorescences on the bush are white, collected in a brush, very beautiful. On lignified shoots, the bark can flake off, this is one of the features of the variety.
Fruit characteristics
Large fruits of this variety of honeysuckle weigh on average about 1.1 g. Their shape is elongated, fusiform, tuberous, the skin is dense, with a waxy bloom of medium intensity, painted in a bluish-blue color. Sprinkling of berries is assessed as low or medium. Transportability is good.
Taste qualities
The fruits are sweet, with a strong aroma and pleasant fibrous pulp. The tasting score is 4.8 points. Sourness and piquant astringency are felt in the nuances of taste.
Ripening and fruiting
The nymph begins bearing fruit at 3-4 years of age. The variety is medium early, begins to bear fruit in mid-June. The period of high productivity of the shrub is about 30 years.
Yield
The nymph provides average yields. An average of 1.4-2.0 kg is harvested from a bush; when grown on an industrial scale, yield indicators reach 46-67 c / ha.
Growing regions
The nymph has no restrictions on the regions of growth. It can land throughout Russia. The variety is especially popular in the Urals, in the Altai Territory, in Siberia.
Self-fertility and the need for pollinators
The nymph belongs to the self-fertile honeysuckle varieties. She needs to plant a number of pollinators. For these purposes, varieties of Lazurnaya honeysuckle, Memory of Gidzyuk, Amphora and others are suitable, with the same flowering periods. The nymph is considered a good honey plant and actively attracts bees and bumblebees.
Growing and care
Honeysuckle grows well around the perimeter of the plots. The bushes can be placed in rows, with a distance of about 1.5 m between them. Planting is recommended in late summer or early autumn. During this period, the survival rate of the bushes is as high as possible.
Particular attention is paid to the Nymph variety only within a year from the moment of planting. At this stage, she needs regular watering - the root should not dry out. Maximum air access to the roots is also required. For this, the soil in the area above them is loosened to a depth of 5-7 cm.
Since fertilizers are usually applied during planting, only nitrogen fertilization is required in the spring for 2 years. It can be done directly in the snow by spilling the surface with a solution of urea, ammonium nitrate. After fruiting, adult plants are additionally given a complex mineral dressing, and in the fall, potassium and phosphorus are added under the root.
Care must be taken when caring for Nymph bushes. Shoots are rather fragile. Regular pruning of the bushes is unnecessary. Until the age of 15 years, it is performed exclusively for sanitary purposes. By the age of 20, it is necessary to gradually begin thinning, removing the oldest skeletal branches, and then rejuvenate, leaving the processes above the ground no more than 150-200 mm.
Disease and pest resistance
The overall assessment of disease resistance in this variety of honeysuckle is high. But it is slightly affected by aphids, suffers from scale insects and leafworms. When the caterpillars attack, you need to start manually collecting and spraying the shoots. Among fungal diseases, true and downy mildew is especially dangerous for Nymphs.
Winter hardiness and the need for shelter
Nymph is a variety of honeysuckle with high winter hardiness. You do not need to cover the shrub for the winter. It can withstand a significant drop in atmospheric temperatures - up to -50 degrees. During periods of spring return frosts, flowers and ovaries do not crumble at -8 Celsius.
Location and soil requirements
Fertilized loamy soils are suitable for plants; on sandstones, berries are tied worse. The plot is selected sunny, sheltered from a strong cold wind. In the shade, the bush bears a little worse fruit. Lowlands are also contraindicated for him, as well as territories where stagnant water is observed. In the choice of soil, preference is given to options with good looseness, a weak level of acidity.
Review overview
Summer residents note that the Nymph honeysuckle takes root well in many regions of Russia, is easily adapted in the south and in Bashkiria, and is grown even in the near abroad, in the Ukraine and the Balkans. The taste rating is also quite high. It is noted that berries with a slight bitterness are very good fresh. Due to their large size, they are easy to assemble. Summer residents mention that taste changes markedly depending on the choice of pollinators.
The disadvantages of the variety include its tendency to re-bloom in autumn. In cold climates, this will lead to freezing of the buds, which can severely damage the bush. In addition, plants can be severely affected by mildew. Summer residents are advised to pay special attention to plants in adverse climatic conditions, bad weather.