Canadian Blueberry forte is a name familiar to many, probably because of the eponymous biological supplement that improves vision, but is not part of it. However, few people heard about Sunberry, although all these names refer to one plant, and it is not easy to find seeds of this berry in specialized summer cottages. What is it? Tasty berry or vegetable? Sunberry is credited with many healing qualities, but few are satisfied with its taste. However, Sunberry bushes can increasingly be found in personal plots. So, she still takes root in our gardens.
The history of growing plants Blueberries forte
In 1905, the breeder and true gardener-adventurer Luther Burbank set out to create a new variety of hardy and edible nightshade from two completely unsuitable, but not poisonous types of nightshade - European small (which made it edible and conveyed its taste) and African (provided a new a variety of large and ornamental fruits that are well resistant to diseases and adverse conditions).
Sunberry and French Fries Creator - Luther Burbank
By the way, the author of everyone’s favorite french fries is precisely Luther Burbank, who created a potato variety called Russet Burbank, which is widely used on the McDonald's network. But if Russet Burbank gained worldwide recognition, then there are far fewer Sunberry fans than its opponents.
Many gardeners frankly do not understand the taste of ripe berries, calling it fresh with unpleasant bitterness. But some argue that the berry is very useful because it contains the same substances that are found in hormones secreted by the adrenal glands, prolonging our youth and making us immune to many ailments.
Sunberry berries of amazing color and ambiguous taste
Description of the variety Sunberry
Sunberry is called Canadian blueberry forte, but blueberry lovers will be upset because Sunberry has nothing to do with blueberries per se. Perhaps the dark violet color of someone prompted the idea of another name for Sunberry (English "sun berry").
Blueberries - refers to the Vereskovs family (blueberries, cranberries, blueberries), and Sunberry - to the Solanaceae family (tomato, eggplant, potatoes). Thus, Sunberry is more a vegetable than a berry. There are still many opinions that Sunberry is a perennial tree. But this is a misconception, since a bush reaching 1.5 meters in height is the simplest annual like eggplant or tomato, which can withstand short-term frosts of minus 5 Cabout, and at a lower temperature completely dies.
Sunberry bush is tall and looks decorative during flowering
Appearance of the bush and fruits
Sunberry - a bush at least one meter high, resembling a young thin tree. The stalk is thick tetrahedral, powerful stepsons grow from the axils of the leaves. Leaves are ovoid with a pointed end.
Sunberry bush during flowering and fruit pouring
Sunberry blooms with white flowers, which are very similar to potato. At the peak of flowering, the bush resembles a plant for a flower bed - it has a beautiful decorative appearance.
Sunberry color is like potato color
There are about 15 flowers in the inflorescence. The berries ripen in clusters not evenly, but during the entire period until growth stops due to frost. The berries are similar in size to a large black currant.
A bunch of ripened sunberries
Properties of Sunberry
All parts of the Sunberry plant, except the root system, are used for medical purposes: stems, flowers, ripened fruits and leaves. It is important to remember that Sunberry is a nightshade, the berries of which, when unripe, are poison. Berries that are completely soft are considered ripe. The situation is similar with tomatoes: an unripe fruit is hard and a ripe fruit is soft. Even in technical maturity, the berries do not lose their specific taste, which can be eliminated by immersing them in boiling water for several minutes.
Ripening Sunberry
In addition to calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium, many other rare elements are found in Sunberry berries:
- Manganese, a positive effect on the immune system and the process of blood formation;
- zinc, which ensures the functioning of the pituitary gland and pancreas;
- copper and nickel, which normalize hemoglobin synthesis and promote the formation of red blood cells;
- chromium activating glucose metabolism;
- silver with antibacterial properties.
Scientists claim that Sunberry contains almost all the complex of elements necessary for good health. To do this, eat only a few ripe berries per day.
Harvest Sunberry is always plentiful
In many countries of the world, the berry of Sunberry is famous and is actively used by the population because of its healing properties:
- It has a mild laxative effect and improves the digestive tract;
- It is an effective means to cleanse the body of toxins and toxins;
- strengthens the eye muscles and supports vision with constant work behind the monitor;
- normalizes pressure;
- helps in the treatment of colds of various etiologies;
- relieves the condition with angina;
- calms nerves and helps to cope with constant insomnia;
- relieves pain in joints;
- copes with edema and improves the condition of the kidneys (due to the diuretic effect);
- relieves headaches;
- helps in the treatment of skin diseases (including psoriasis).
Sowing Sunberry Seedlings
Sunberry, like all solanaceae, has a long vegetative period of 120-150 days, so if you grow it by sowing in the soil, the berries just might not ripen. It is best to grow Blueberry forte through seedlings.
Sunberries in a cut form resemble the structure of tomato fruits
When to plant Blueberry Fort for seedlings
Sunberry seeds are sown at the same time as tomatoes (late February or early March). The plant emerges and develops as actively as the tomatoes. If planted earlier than indicated, then by the time the seedlings are planted in the soil, the Sunberry seedlings will outgrow, the soil volume of the seedlings will be exhausted. Then plant growth and its development will slow down, and this will negatively affect the amount of yield. Strong seedlings are the key to a rich harvest for any crop.
Sunberry has large seeds that are easy to sow
Growing blueberry seedlings forte
To grow Blueberry forte seedlings, they take a nutritious earth mixture for vegetable seedlings, which is sold in any gardening shop, and fill it with a pre-prepared box. Then the soil is watered and seeds are sown on its surface. Cover them with a layer of earth up to 1 cm, slightly press down.
The container is covered with plastic film or glass, which must be removed daily, remove drops of condensate from the surface and just ventilate the container with the sunberry seeds planted. On the fifth day after sowing, the first sprouts are already beginning to appear. During this period, it is important not to allow the soil to dry out, but also to avoid excessive waterlogging.
First sprouts of sunberry
Usually in mid-March, it is enough daylight for the plants to develop well without additional exposure. And so that all the seedlings have enough light, you need to put a special screen made of foil, which can be done independently by wrapping foil for baking on cardboard. This measure will prevent stretching the seedlings towards the light.
Light reflecting foil screen prevents seedlings from stretching, enhancing its growth
Picking seedlings
With the advent of three true leaves, the seedlings dive into separate containers with a volume of up to 0.5 liters. To do this, seedlings are filled with nutritious soil, and using a special thin spatula or an ordinary tablespoon, each seedling is separated with the root system and planted in a glass, sprinkled with earth, slightly squeezed and well watered.
Sunberry seedlings, ready for planting in the ground
Outdoor Sunberry Growing
With the advent of heat (early May), Sunberry seedlings can be planted in the ground. In May, return frosts rarely occur in central Russia. Even if this happens, young plants will not be affected, because Sunberry is not only drought-resistant, but not at all afraid of spring frosts.
Sunberry landing pattern: 80 centimeters between bushes and 1.5 meters between rows. Such a great distance is a necessity, due to the massive growth of the plant. If it is reduced, the bushes will obscure each other, and the berries will not receive enough light, due to which the ripening time will shift.
Planting seedlings in the ground is done by transshipment. First, dig a hole in the soil with a depth of 15-20 centimeters in the soil, spill it well. Then they take a glass with seedlings, hold the stem with the index and middle fingers, and turn the contents of the glass onto the palm of the hand, place the extracted plant in the hole and fill it up.
Transshipment of plants is the safest and most painless method of planting seedlings.
By the time of planting, the roots of the seedling almost completely fill the volume of the planting cup. With the help of transshipment, the root system of the plant is not damaged.
Sunberry is a hardy species of nightshade, so it does not need additional watering or treatment from pests. Bushes do not affect bacterial diseases or pests, and it can grow in the most infertile soil. During active growth, powerful stepsons are formed on the bush, which need to be supported in the form of long wooden slingshots, especially during the period of fruit growth. Experts say that berries can be eaten no earlier than the end of September, when they become soft. Otherwise, there is a risk of berry poisoning.
Sunberry bushes continuously bloom, so from September the flowers must be pruned, otherwise even if they give an ovary, the berries will not have time to ripen well to constant subzero temperatures. This measure contributes to the fact that plants direct all their forces into the ripening of already formed berries.
In regions where early autumn frosts are possible, berries are picked with a brush and laid out on a windowsill for ripening. In a warm room, they, like tomatoes, will fully mature and will be suitable for use. With the advent of severe frosts, the bush completely dies, turning into organic fertilizer for the earth.
Video: growing a sunberry
Gardeners reviews about the variety
It was cultivated, a very productive culture, but I did not really like the taste and no one appreciated the jam.
Svetlana Yurievna//irecommend.ru/content/tak-vot-ty-kakaya-solnechnaya-yagoda
On Saturday I picked Sunberry berries, I don’t need to grow large expenses, however, they planted them for the first time, they did not know much. We’ll plant less often next year, but the plant deserves attention for its medicinal qualities. Good luck to everyone who will grow this plant!
a guest//indasad.ru/lekarstvennye-rasteniya/1505-sanberri-yagoda-samberi-yagoda-poleznye-svojstva#!/ccomment-comment=3350
We were given such a bush last year. There were a lot of berries, although we did not care for him at all. The berries are tasteless, but a delicious jam is obtained if oranges, a sunberry with sugar are scrolled through a meat grinder.
a guest//indasad.ru/lekarstvennye-rasteniya/1505-sanberri-yagoda-samberi-yagoda-poleznye-svojstva#!/ccomment-comment=3350
This miracle berry is very useful for people with cancer, people with reduced immunity and with the so-called neoplasms. Just do not buy any nonsense in pharmacies and other healers, you need to eat natural food. Grow Sunberry yourself in your garden, in mid-September it has a delicate taste and pleasant aroma. You need to eat it fresh on an empty stomach, about 5 teaspoons each. Eat black berry, it is the most medicinal, green berry is unsuitable for food, wait until it turns black. Perfectly kept fresh in the refrigerator. I have been using this berry for 4 years, my neoplasms have disappeared and until they are no longer formed. Those who do not have the opportunity to grow berries in the garden, I recommend growing it on the balcony or window sill in pots. The bush is not as large as in the open field, but bears fruit even in winter.
Marina//smoldachnik.ru/sanberri_vyracshivanie_uhod_i_recepty.html
The bush, of course, looks very impressive: it is densely strewn with splayed clusters of black glossy berries the size of a small cherry. It is better to grow seedlings, like tomatoes, but you can plant them directly in the ground. A distinctive feature: the berries hold tight to the petioles, and do not fall off with ease, like a normal nightshade or shed.
Vera Surovaya//irecommend.ru/content/ocherednoe-reklamnoe-vrane-chernika-forte-ne-imeyushchaya-k-chernike-nikakogo-otnosheniya
Now, with regard to the taste of ripe berries ... I don’t know what people all over the world found in this berry, but I didn’t notice much difference between immature muck and mature Sunberry. Still, the finish is a little nasty. Sunberry is a fresh berry.
Lillian//irecommend.ru/content/grandioznaya-falshivka
My leg hurt badly, the injections didn’t help much. She began to rub the berry into the joints and helped a lot. On the advice of a friend I planted 3 bushes, now I will grow and use these berries.
a guest//indasad.ru/lekarstvennye-rasteniya/1505-sanberri-yagoda-samberi-yagoda-poleznye-svojstva#!/ccomment-comment=3350
Mom once planted in the Sunberry garden. The sunny berry grows in the form of a bush. But in the berries we were disappointed and the Sunberry bush uprooted. It is full of other tasty berries that you can eat fresh, make jam from them and have more beneficial properties in them than in garden nightshade. Gumi, for example, dogwood. We mainly sell dried dates, but they have a lot of useful properties.
Mirabilis//irecommend.ru/content/sanberri-nevkusnaya-yagoda
We have been growing Sunberry for many years, the plant bears fruit abundantly ... I nevertheless came to the conclusion that this berry in the form of raw jam is most useful. In the autumn I put the berries in a blender, add lemon (or orange, or lime), you can add a little ginger fresh, a little sugar - and put them in plastic containers for storage. I keep the containers in the freezer. The color of this jam is lilac purple, very bright. The daughter of a friend, dying a jar of this jam, called him a "witch's potion."
Irisneva//www.asienda.ru/yagody/sanberri-solnechnaya-yagoda-chast-1/
Blueberry forte - high-yielding and unpretentious. For areas with poor soil - this is a real find that will always give a decent harvest. With a certain technology, it produces tasty jam or juice. Fresh berries have a specific taste that few people like. Sunberry and blueberry have only common color, but they are completely different cultures both in appearance and in taste. Each one will decide for himself whether it is worth growing Sunberry at his site.
