One word sums this variety up: orderly. The bush grows healthily and vigorously, but above all upright – it produces strong, firm, rigid shoots that do not flop and keep the plant compact. Both maintenance and picking are far easier than on the sprawling older varieties.

The fruit is medium-sized and broadly spindle-shaped, bluntly finished at the tip with a characteristic depression at the apex. The colour is dark blue with a pronounced waxy bloom, the flesh is very juicy, and the flavour is pleasantly sweet-sour and highly aromatic. Its main advantage is even ripening – the crop can be harvested all at once, in a single pass.

Hardiness: extremely high, USDA zone 3 (tolerates temperatures well below −30 °C). Use: universal – fresh eating as well as home or commercial processing. Protection: filed with CPVO, application number O S408.

The most energetic grower of the whole group. Annual growth can reach a full metre, so the plant quickly attains its final size and comes into bearing early. The habit is upright and the framework of the bush firm and well organised.

The berries are medium-sized, averaging 2–3 g, elliptical to cylindrical with a rounded tip. The flesh is firm, juicy and aromatic, the flavour pleasantly sweet and harmonious. According to the breeder the fruit ripens in early July, which makes 'Colin' one of the later varieties – a useful tool for extending the picking season.

Key strength: excellent post-harvest shelf life and tolerance of transport without loss of quality. Use: a top dessert variety, and equally highly valued in processing (jams, juices, freezing). Protection: CPVO, application number 20180767.

A variety bred with one clear aim – to meet the demands of commercial plantations. The bush grows very strongly and vigorously, with annual growth of up to a metre, forming a large but slender shape. That slenderness is exactly what plantations value: it improves access to the fruit and makes mechanisation easier.

The fruit is large to very large, round, oval to barrel-shaped, dark blue with a protective waxy bloom. The decisive trait is the hardness of the flesh – this is what determines whether the berries survive machine harvesting and transport undamaged. The flavour is sweet-sour, and according to the breeder the fruit ripens in June.

Purpose: a variety expressly dedicated to mechanical harvesting, with long post-harvest life under refrigeration. Protection: CPVO, application number 20180765.

The breeder himself rates this as the best-tasting variety in his portfolio. The flavour brings sweetness and a light acidity into harmony, and the flesh is juicy and aromatic. The berries are large and visually very attractive, weighing over 2 g, elliptical to almost pear-shaped with a blunt tip, dark navy blue with a waxy bloom.

The bush grows strongly and reaches up to 180 cm. The habit is semi-upright and narrow; the plant fills out well and is easy to shape, which keeps maintenance straightforward in both orchards and gardens. It is a mid-early variety with even ripening.

Practical bonus: ripe fruit does not drop from the bush, so you can choose your picking date to suit yourself. The variety is suitable for machine harvesting and keeps in good condition for up to 10 days after picking. Protection: CPVO, application number O S407.

As the name suggests, this is the crowning work of Maxine M. Thompson's breeding programme. The berries measure roughly 2.3 cm long and 1.5 cm wide with an average weight of 2.2 g, and are elliptical and visually very appealing. Sugar content reaches 15.2 °Brix, the highest figure among the varieties described here, and the flavour is of excellent dessert quality, with sweetness balanced by a light acidity.

A key technological advantage is the dry picking scar – the berry does not bleed juice once detached, which substantially reduces the risk of rot and mould after harvest. The flesh is firm and juicy. The bush grows strongly but spreads more than it climbs: after five years it reaches around 1.1 m in height and up to 1.7 m in width.

Yield: very high, up to 3 kg of fruit from a five-year-old bush. Storage: at 0 °C to 1 °C the fruit retains its appearance, firmness and flavour for at least two weeks. Ripening occurs roughly 60 days after full bloom; in Oregon the breeder gives a picking window of 27 May to 5 June, which may shift slightly under Central European conditions. Protection: CPVO, application number O S354.

'Willa' solves the problem that decides profit and loss in mechanical harvesting: fruit retention strength. The berries hold on the branches firmly enough not to drop before harvest, yet loosely enough to be shaken off without damaging the skin. That balance makes the variety an ideal candidate for harvester picking.

The fruit is large and exceptionally uniform – 1.8 to 2 cm long and 1.4 to 1.5 cm wide, averaging 2 g. The shape is round to oval-globose, the colour an intense dark blue with a waxy bloom, and the scar at the short stalk is dry. Sugar content reaches 15 °Brix and the flavour is pleasant, slightly tart to sweet-sour.

Growth and phenology: a moderately vigorous, upright and slightly spreading bush, around 1.7 m tall and 1.5 m wide after seven years. A mid-early variety, ripening evenly in mid-June, roughly 60 days after full bloom. Cropping is regular but average compared with 'Maxine's Opus'. Protection: CPVO, application number 20180766.

The breeder considers this the most promising of his new releases. The berries are large, weighing over 2.2 g, broadly spindle-shaped and elongated with a distinctive pointed tip. The skin is of medium thickness, the flesh firm to hard, juicy and aromatic, and the flavour harmoniously sweet-sour. The exact parentage is unknown.

The bush grows strongly to a height of about 150 cm, with a narrow, upright habit that saves space in the planting and improves access to the fruit. It is a mid-early variety whose berries ripen evenly, all at once.

Greatest asset: exceptional post-harvest life – the fruit stays in good condition for more than 14 days. Ripe berries do not drop from the bush, and the combination of firmness, retention and even ripening makes the variety very easy to harvest by machine. Protection: CPVO, application number O S406.