REBECKA, A DAY-NEUTRAL FRAGARIA X VESCANA VARIETY FROM BALSGARD

The Fragaria x vescana variety ‘Rebecka’, tested as selection F9152003, originated from a cross between (‘Fern’ x F. vesca 4x) and the Balsgård F. x ananassa selection F861502. ‘Rebecka’ is dayneutral and produces flowers and fruits after the normal season and on the new runner plants. The leaves are healthy with few symptoms of any diseases. At Balsgård ‘Rebecka’ has wintered very well, even during years with very little snow cover and severe frost. The runners are not so many. In the trials at Balsgård the ripening season of ‘Rebecka’ starts in June a few days earlier than that of ‘Honeoye’ with a peak in the middle of July and continues with another peak in the middle of August. ‘Rebecka’ continues to fruit as long as the weather is mild and not too rainy. The fruits of ‘Rebecka’ are medium to small, 8-9 g on average, a little softer than those from ordinary strawberries but with a nice aroma of wild wood strawberries. ‘Rebecka’ has been tested in home gardens in the south of Sweden and is considered worth attention with its repeated cropping and fine aroma. The rather soft fruits make ‘Rebecka’ perhaps unsuited for commercial growing with long distant shipping of the harvest but for home gardens it is an interesting new variety.