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Parentage
Chelsea Pensioner originates from a cross between two unnamed
selections, one from UK germplasm and one from Italian germplasm.
Season
Chelsea Pensioner is a late season variety, starting to ripen six
days after Elsanta and two to three days before Florence. It gives a
concentrated peak of production late in the season.
Fruit Quality
Fruit are deep red in colour and tend to darken, but they stay
bright with a good gloss. Fruit shape and regularity have been
consistently good, but the achenes are prominent, similar to or only
slightly more so than Symphony. Little or no bruising was observed
in two trials, even when the fruit was held overnight, but some
berries had a non-coloured, less ripe `neck` around the calyx in one
trial. Comments on flavour have been consistently very good (`juicy
and sweet `), though the non-coloured area around the calyx is poor
for flavour if not fully ripened.
Yield and Fruit Size
In two trials the yield of Chelsea Pensioner was comparable to
Florence and Alice, and its average fruit size was slightly higher
than both varieties (see table below).
| Variety |
Yield (g per plant) |
Average Fruit Size (g) |
| |
Trial 1 |
Trial 2 |
Trial 3 |
Trial 4 |
| Chelsea Pensioner |
815 |
575 |
31.9 |
30.5 |
| Florence |
1004 |
514 |
30.6 |
26.3 |
| Alice |
694 |
628 |
27.3 |
22.7 |
Marketing Suitability
The deep red colour and prominent achenes means Chelsea Pensioner is
most suitable for direct sales, pick-your-own and the amateur
market.
Disease Resistance
No serious diseases or pests problems have been observed, even
though nearby plots had serious mildew infections.
Use of the Variety
Chelsea Pensioner is a late season variety producing good yields of
attractive, firm berries with excellent flavour. It withstands high
summer temperatures better than Florence in respect of colour and
firmness, and is preferred to this variety in hot years.
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