The best early varieties of cherries

Harvesting an early harvest is not only a matter of pride, but also a competition between gardeners. But so that the orchard does not bring disappointment in this rivalry, crops of early varieties should be planted. Which cherry is recognized as the best in this sense?

Sweet cherry is a very useful berry. Firstly, it is a delicious dessert, secondly, a dietary product, and thirdly, cherries are rich in vitamin C, carotene, calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus and iron. How not to plant such a "treasure" in your garden? After all, the sooner we pick ripe berries, the faster we will overcome the spring vitamin deficiency. Since the earliest varieties of cherries begin to bear fruit already in May-June.

Early cherries are best eaten fresh. But you can also squeeze juice out of it, cook jam or compote. True, not all varieties of berries "relate" well to transportation. Many "early" trees are quite frost-hardy and tolerate changes in weather. Their main feature is that for good fruiting, trees of pollinating varieties need to be planted next to them.

Iput

Sprawling sweet cherry with a dense pyramidal crown. The flowers are large, collected in "bunches" of 3-4 pieces. The berries are medium in size, heart-shaped. The fruit is dark red in color; when overripe, it becomes almost black. Cherry varieties Iput are good for making juices and preserves. With proper care, the tree gives an incredible harvest, withstands cold winters well.

Entering fruiting	Fruit weight (g)	Productivity (kg per tree)	Harvest	Pollinating varieties
5 year	5-8	60-80	Mid june	Bryansk pink, Ovstuzhenka, Raditsa, Revna, Tyutchevka

Leningrad black

Tall tree with a spreading crown. It bears fruit well, gives a stable harvest and is not afraid of cold weather. The cherry fruits of this variety are not too large, but very tasty. Their shape is oblate-ovate, the color is dark scarlet. The pulp is juicy, pomegranate in color, with a rich honey taste. Leningradskaya black is excellent for juice and other processing.

Entering fruiting	Fruit weight (g)	Productivity (kg per tree)	Harvest	Pollinating varieties
3-4 years	4-5	30-40	Early to mid-July	Veda, Michurinka, Tyutchevka, Revna

Mayskaya

The tree of this variety is quite vigorous, resistant to many diseases inherent in sweet cherry, and tolerates cold well. The fruits are small (round, with a stripe on the "belly"), but they ripen quite early. The pulp is dark, dense, juicy, sweetish. The berries are unsuitable for canning and all types of processing, and also do not tolerate transportation well.

Entering fruiting	Fruit weight (g)	Productivity (kg per tree)	Harvest	Pollinating varieties
4 year	2-4	30-40	End of May - beginning of June	Early Duki, Melitopol early, Dzherelo

Ovstuzhenka

Sweet cherry of this variety is a low compact tree with a rounded crown and a lot of foliage.The berries are rounded, ruby ​​in color, the pulp and juice are of a deep dark red hue. A distinctive feature of this cherry: the stone is well separated from the pulp. The fruits are very tasty and aromatic, suitable for fresh consumption and harvesting.

Entering fruiting	Fruit weight (g)	Productivity (kg per tree)	Harvest	Pollinating varieties
From 4-5 years old	4-6	25-35	Mid june	Bryansk pink, Iput, Revna, Pink pearls, Tyutchevka

Story

Cherries of this variety are especially appreciated for their large berries. They are dark pomegranate in color, and when fully ripe, they become almost black. The fruit tastes like honey, not too juicy, with thick pulp, can withstand long-term transportation. The berries do not crack even in wet weather, which characterizes the variety only from the best side. Trees withstand cold weather and rarely get sick.

Entering fruiting	Fruit weight (g)	Productivity (kg per tree)	Harvest	Pollinating varieties
5 year	10-12	20-30	The beginning of June	Ovstuzhenka, Iput, Tyutchevka

Chermashnaya

The tree of this variety is very tall, with an elongated oval crown. The branches are strong, therefore they withstand the harvest well. True, the berries are not too large - up to 5 g. But they ripen early, already in early June. Fruits are yellow, occasionally a barely noticeable pink blush may form on them. Honey pulp with a slight sourness, aromatic and tender. The bone is removed easily. Trees are frost-hardy and slightly susceptible to disease.

Entering fruiting	Fruit weight (g)	Productivity (kg per tree)	Harvest	Pollinating varieties
5 year		25-35	The beginning of June	Fatezh, Bryansk pink, Iput, Leningrad black

Yaroslavna

A massive tree with a spherical crown and dark green foliage. Differs in excellent frost resistance. The harvest is stable, although not overly generous. The cherry fruits of the Yaroslavna variety are large, with a small stone, which separates well from the pulp. The sweet and juicy pomegranate red berries make a wonderful rich juice.

Entering fruiting	Fruit weight (g)	Productivity (kg per tree)	Harvest	Pollinating varieties
For 4-5 years	8-9	20-30	First decade of July	Donetsk beauty, Valeria, Annushka

Here's a selection of early varieties of cherries we got. Of course, it is far from complete. And to it you can add the varieties that you grow on your site. Write in the comments and share your secrets on our forum.

The best varieties of cherries are a conditional concept, since in warm regions - in Ukraine, in the south of Russia - more thermophilic plants are common, but residents of the Leningrad region and the Moscow region need to select frost-resistant varieties.
In addition, someone loves sweet, and someone with sourness; some are crispy and some are softer; there are adherents of black cherry varieties, pink, yellow, with a red barrel ... There are a great variety of sweet cherry varieties! How not to get lost among this variety and choose the best cherry variety just for you - we will figure it out in this article.

Cherry varieties: classifications

Classification of cherries by ripening dates

You can provide yourself with sweet juicy fruits for almost the entire summer - from late June to August. To do this, you need to create in your garden a collection of early-ripening cherry varieties (ripen around the end of June), mid-ripening (ripen around mid-July) and late-ripening varieties (ripening period - early August).
Early ripe cherry varieties - Iput, Gronkavaya, Early Rose, Valery Chkalov, Skazka, Chance, Ruby Early, Elektra, Ariadna, Chermashnaya;
Mid-season varieties of cherries - Tyutchevka, Leningradskaya rose, Rechitsa, Revna, Fatezh, in memory of Chernyshevsky, Ovstuzhenka, Orlovskaya Rose, Veda, Adeline, Poetry, Pink Pearl, Dniprovka, Dilemma;
Late-ripening cherry varieties - Prestige, Leningradskaya black, Red dense, Bryanskaya Pink, Orion, Romance, Lyubitsa Turovtseva.

Classification of cherries by fruit color

Black (dark red cherry): Veda, Adelina, Tyutchevka, Bryanochka, Revna, Raditsa, Leningradskaya Chornaya, Iput, Gronkavaya, Ariadna, Ovstuzhenka, Rechitsa, Michurinka;
Yellow cherry: Chermashnaya, Drogana yellow, Home garden yellow, Red dense (yellow cherry with a red barrel);
Pink cherries: Leningrad pink, Early pink, Orlov pink, Bryansk pink, Fatezh;
Orange Cherry: Pink Pearl;

Classification of cherry varieties by taste

Sweet cherries: Michurinskaya, Raditsa, Ovstuzhenka, Tyutchevka, Rechitsa, Leningradskaya black, Chermashnaya, Iput, Gronkavaya, Bryanskaya pink, Ariadna, Revna;
Sweet cherry with sourness: Early pink, Poetry, Oryol pink, Fatezh, Pink pearls.

Classification of cherries according to the structure of the pulp

Conventionally, according to the density of the pulp, the cherries are divided into two groups - with tender, soft pulp (gini) or dense, crispy (bigarro).
Gini cherry varieties: Early pink, Orlovskaya pink, Liningradskaya black, Leningradskaya pink, Chermashnaya, Iput;
Bigarro cherry varieties: Michurinka, Poetziya, Fatezh, Rechitsa, Bryanskaya rozovaya, Ariadna.
Description of varieties of sweet cherry with a photo

Description of cherry varieties with photos

Drogan yellow cherry variety

Drogan yellow cherry

Yellow Drogan yellow cherry is a mid-season frost-resistant variety of the bigarro group. The variety is highly adaptive, it can grow in Belarus, and in the North Caucasus, and in Central Asia. The fruits of the sweet cherry variety Drogana yellow are heart-shaped, weighing 6-7 grams, the pulp is light yellow, the juice is almost transparent.

Features of the Drogan yellow cherry variety: - Drogan's cherry tree, yellow, tall, with a spreading crown. Consider this if the site is small;

- very thin skin of the fruit. On the one hand, it is much more pleasant to eat berries with a delicate skin, on the other, such cherries are poorly suited for transportation or freezing, and the fruits can crack on the tree. The bone does not separate from the pulp;
- high productivity. Moreover, all the fruits reach at the same time, do not fall off on their own;
- high drought resistance and frost resistance;
- Drogana Yellow is not a self-pollinated variety, therefore, cherries of other varieties will need to be planted in the garden;
- susceptible to damage to the cherry fly.

Cherry variety Home Garden Yellow

Sweet cherry Home garden yellow

Cherry Priusadebnaya Zheltaya belongs to the early maturing varieties of the bigaro group. The average weight of one berry is 5-6 grams, the pulp and skin are yellow, the pulp is sweet with sourness. This variety is perfect for the conditions of central Russia. Loves black soil.

Features of sweet cherries of the variety "Homestead yellow" - self-pollinated variety, that is, it can do without pollinating neighbors;

- begins to bear fruit quite late - in the 6th year (ordinary cherries - in the 4-5th year);
- extremely productive variety;
- despite the fact that Homestead yellow is an early-ripening variety, it is not afraid of frost;
- not susceptible to fungal diseases or cherry fly damage;
- it reproduces very actively, therefore it will cause a lot of trouble with pruning and removing shoots. In addition, the crown of the tree is very lush.

Cherry variety Rechitsa

Cherry Rechitsa

Cherry Rechitsa belongs to the mid-season varieties of the bigarro group, sweet in taste, frost-resistant. The weight of the berries reaches 6 grams, the pulp is dark red, the stone is easily separated from the pulp. The tree itself is of medium height. Cherry Rechitsa is relatively unpretentious to the soil, excellent for central Russia.

Features of the Rechitsa variety - berries are not prone to cracking;

- frost-resistant variety, not susceptible to diseases;
- pollinating trees are needed (Adelina, Ovstuzhenka, Pink Pearl);
- not a very prolific variety - one tree will yield no more than 15 kg of cherries.

Cherry variety Leningradskaya Black

Cherry Leningradskaya black

Leningradskaya black belongs to the mid-season varieties of the gini group. The berry tastes sweet, but not large - 3-4 grams, the bone does not separate from the pulp.The height of the tree is up to 3.5 meters.

Features of black Leningradskaya black cherry: - low winter hardiness;

- not capable of self-pollination (it is best to plant in a pair with the varieties Revna, Veda, Tyutchevka, Bryanochka, Iput);
- medium-fertile varieties - up to 20 kg of sweet cherries are harvested from one tree.

Cherry variety Ovstuzhenka

Cherry Ovstuzhenka

Cherry Ovstuzhenka belongs to mid-season varieties, berries weigh 6-7 grams, very juicy and sweet. The variety is suitable for cultivation in the south of the Non-Black Earth Region.

Features of sweet cherries Ovstuzhenka: - berries are not prone to cracking;

- the variety is frost-hardy enough, not susceptible to diseases;
- relatively low yield - no more than 15 kg from one tree;
- not capable of self-pollination (it is recommended to plant in tandem with Tyutchevka, Revna, Raditsa, Iput).

Cherry variety Leningradskaya pink

Sweet cherry Leningradskaya pink is a mid-season variety of the Gini group. The berries are small enough, about 3.5 grams, the pulp is very tender, yellowish, the skin is yellow with a ruddy side. Leningrad pink is suitable for growing in the northwestern and central Non-Black Earth Region.

Features of the Leningradskaya pink variety: - the tree is quite tall with a lush crown;

- not capable of self-pollination (it is recommended to plant in tandem with varieties of memory of Chernyshevsky, Pink Pearl, Rechitsa, Adeline);
- average yield - no more than 15 kg from one tree.

Cherry variety Tyutchevka

Cherry Tyutchevka

Cherry Tyutchevka belongs to mid-season varieties. Berries weighing about 5 grams, the stone is poorly separated from the pulp. The tree is of medium height, extremely resistant to disease and cold. Cherry varieties Tyutchevka are recommended to be grown in the south of the Non-Black Earth Region.
Features of cherry varieties Tyutchevka:
- average yield - up to 15 kg per tree;
- well suited for transportation or freezing;
- not capable of self-pollination (planted together with Ovstuzhenka, Iput, Raditsa).

Cherry varieties Revna

Cherry Revna

Cherry Revna belongs to mid-season varieties. The berry is dark red, almost black in color, weighs 4.5-5 grams, the bone is separated from the pulp well, the pulp is quite dense. The height of the tree is average. Cherry Revna feels good in the south and in the center of the Non-Black Earth Region of the Russian Federation.

Features of cherries Revna - partially self-fertile variety, but for abundant fruiting it is necessary to plant in a pair with Tyutchevka, Iput, Raditsa, Ovstuzhenka;

- winter-hardy variety, not susceptible to diseases;
- excellent for transportation and freezing;
- excellent, abundant fruiting - up to 30 kg of fruits from one tree.

Sweet cherry varieties Iput

Cherry Iput

Cherry Iput belongs to the early ripening varieties of the gini group. The fruit weighs 5-5.4 grams, the sweet pulp is difficult to separate from the stone. A medium-sized tree with a wide crown. Sweet cherry Iput is recommended for cultivation in the south and in the center of the Non-Black Earth Region.
Features of the Iput cherry variety:
- fantastic yield - up to 30 kg of fruits per tree;
- extreme frost resistance - can withstand up to -32 degrees of frost;
- resistant to fungal diseases;
- partially capable of self-pollination. For a regular and good harvest, you need to plant next to the cherries of the varieties Ovstuzhenka, Raditsa, Revna, Bryanskaya pink.

Sweet cherry varieties Fatezh

Cherry Fatezh

Cherry Fatezh belongs to the mid-season varieties of the Bigaro group. The berries weigh about 4.3 grams and are sweet and sour. A medium-sized tree with a spherical crown and beautiful drooping branches. Fatezh cherries are best grown in the south in the center of the Non-Black Earth Region.

Features of Fatezh cherries - the buds are not very frost-resistant, in contrast to the trunk and branches;

- the yield can reach 30 kg per tree;
- not susceptible to diseases, in particular - rot;
- a self-infertile variety, you should choose Ovstuzhenka, Iput, Raditsa as neighbors.

Sweet cherry varieties Bryansk pink

Sweet cherry Bryansk pink

Sweet cherry Bryanskaya pink refers to late-ripening varieties of the bigarro group. The berry weighs about 5 grams, the pulp is sweet, pink in color, the small stone does not separate from the pulp. Sweet cherry Bryanskaya pink feels good in the central part of the Non-Black Earth Region.

Features of the Bryansk pink variety: - the buds are not resistant to frost, and the trunk and skeletal branches are resistant;

- due to the peculiarities of the crown, the tree practically does not need pruning;
- high yield - up to 30 kg per tree4
- berries are not prone to cracking.
- not capable of self-pollination, Ovstuzhenka, Revna, Tyutchevka, Iput should be planted in the neighborhood.

Of course, this is not a complete list, but we have considered the most popular cherry varieties. We hope that the description of cherry varieties with a photo will help you make the right choice. We remind you: when choosing a cherry variety, be sure to ask whether it is self-fertile or not, and with which cherry varieties it should be planted. Only in this case you will get an excellent harvest of cherries, which we wish you with all our hearts!

Tatiana Kuzmenko, member of the editorial board Sobcor of the Internet edition “AtmAgro. Agroindustrial Bulletin "

Foreword

Until now, it is not possible to take more than 5-10 kg from one tree, while all the fruits are not larger than peas? Why not plant large-fruited and high-yielding cherry varieties for a temperate climate and change this situation for the better?

The sweetest and most delicious options according to the estimates of experienced gardeners in Russia

For many lovers, size is not the main thing in fruits, as their taste is valued first of all. Over the past 15 years, more than 80 varieties have been bred with a sugar content of more than 5%, which is a very good indicator for such fruits. They immediately gained great popularity among summer residents and began to spread not only across the territory of Russia, but also to other countries. We would like to bring to your attention the brightest representatives of this class.

1. Sweet cherry Julia. It is a very tasty fruit that should grow in every summer resident who loves to feast on sweets. 5.9% sugar, more than 2% ascorbic acid make it extremely tasty and healthy. The pulp is firm, slightly crispy. For many years of cultivation on the territory of Russia, it has established itself as a reliable, proven, constantly fruitful option. Unfortunately, it will not work to collect a large number of berries, but you can count on 15-20 kg from one adult tree, and both in a productive year and not very much. The crown is not spreading, the branches are directed upwards, do not hang down, which significantly complicates the harvest in the middle of summer. Cherry late (medium late), has excellent resistance to pests, as well as to diseases, only 1 treatment with pesticides from caterpillars is required throughout the season.
2. Sweet cherry Yaroslavna. If you want to grow a really tasty fruit at home or in the country, Yaroslavna is the best fit for this. The average sugar content is up to 14.2%, which is a record for domestic breeding options... It is a worthy competitor to European trees, since, in addition to everything else, it gives up to 60 kg from one tree. That is why it has become the choice of many gardeners, farmers who are seriously engaged in the cultivation of products for sale and export. Keeping quality is very good, does not crack when ripe, tolerates prolonged rains, can stay on the tree after technical ripening for a couple of weeks. All late varieties of sweet cherry cannot be compared with it in this category, for which it has earned such popularity in Russia.
3. Cherry Ostozhenka is another representative of the "tasty" category. It contains up to 13% sugars, at the stage of technical ripeness it has an unsurpassed taste, perfect for canning, preparing desserts, dishes, selling on the market (has excellent keeping quality) or just for eating raw. This is where its advantages, perhaps, end.The disadvantages include low yield (collection of 25 kg from one tree can already be considered a record), its weak resistance to frost (up to -20C), as well as weak biological protection against pests. It requires careful care, otherwise it will bear little fruit.

The above options are not in vain that they are so popular. They not only give tasty berries, but have excellent resistance to pests, tolerate cold winters, temperature changes, which cannot be said about large-fruited options. The load on the branches is small, it is easy to form a crown, they grow with minimal maintenance, and they constantly give average yields.

The largest-fruited trees, their characteristics

If you want to grow fruits with an excellent presentation and sell them at a higher price, then you need to pay attention to the following description of sweet cherry varieties. They do not have any supernatural taste, their yield is average or slightly above average, but the weight of the fruits is much higher than ordinary berries. Here are some alphabetical descriptions of the "heavyweights".

1. Sweet cherry Bull heart. One of the largest-fruited, the weight of one berry can reach 8 grams, which is an unprecedented result for 90% of all results of domestic selection, foreign selection. The crown has a pyramidal appearance, and the natural neglect is small. The only negative is that the fruits crack when ripe, especially if the wet weather outside alternates with a dry, hot wind. Excellent taste, slight sourness. Has a dark color, excellent presentation. Poorly transported, keeping quality is low, winter hardiness is high, easily tolerates frosts down to -25 degrees.
2. Dyber black cherry. Fruiting only for 5 years of growth, but immediately gives 7-9 kg from one plant. At 11 years old, it bears fruit in full and you can collect up to 60 kg from one tree, due to this, the yield per hectare reaches 90 centners. One of the biggest advantages of this tree is the size of the fruit - the average weight reaches 6.6 grams, which is a lot for this type of fruit. Sweet, up to 12% sugar, at the stage of technical ripeness has a black color, as well as a characteristic odor, which is much stronger than usual. It is in great demand in the market, as it has an excellent presentation, is well transported and lasts for several weeks. Does not crack in normal weather, but some fruits may crack during rain if the fruit is ripe. Daibera surpasses the best varieties of cherries of European selection, especially in terms of fruit weight. This is a “must have” of every summer resident!
3. Italian. It is difficult to imagine early varieties of sweet cherries without this bright representative, whose fruit weight is 6.8 grams, and some fruits have 8 grams. A worthy competitor to the best Dutch varieties, which is very popular in Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Iran. It is grown in a temperate climatic zone and hotter regions, does not require a large amount of water and fertilizers, and gives stable, albeit small, yields. Up to 80 kg / ha can be harvested even in drought and lean years. That is why it is recommended for industrial cultivation. The resistance to pests is excellent, although the keeping quality of fruits leaves much to be desired - in a few weeks they rot and are poorly transported at the stage of technical ripeness.

Large-fruited varieties have, as a rule, low resistance to insect pests and do not tolerate sudden changes in temperature. They are noticeably weaker and difficult to take root, so if you are going to breed them and want to surprise your neighbors with huge fruits, you will have to sweat. All specimens begin to bear fruit in the 4th year, sometimes earlier you can get several berries "per tooth".

Highest yielding varieties in alphabetical order

For you, the main thing is a large yield and a solid profit from one tree? Then this category of trees is right for you. Up to 15-30 tons can be harvested from 1 hectare, while record harvests are harvested in Iran (55 t / ha). The following varieties give up to 50-60 kg per tree, due to which they are the best options for the subsequent sale of products to the market or to wholesale outlets.

1. Sweet cherry Ovstuzhenka. An unusual fruit from the point of view of many gardeners is black cherry, and its shape is conical. One of its main advantages is high yield - up to 115 centners average and 250 centners maximum. With good care and abundant watering, it can easily yield up to 50 kg per tree, and this is far from the limit. The sugar content is 11%, which also makes it one of the sweetest, most delicious in the Russian Federation and other neighboring countries. The crown is spreading, wide, the branches bend down under the weight of the fruit, in some cases supports are required, since they break off in a strong wind - this is perhaps the only disadvantage of this variety. Average frost resistance - withstands up to -25 degrees throughout the winter.
2. Cherry variety Revna. Very recognizable on the territory of Russia, it has a light skin and dense flesh. Due to its yield up to 30 t / ha, it has become one of the best options for domestic farmers. Cherry Revna, reviews of which you can hear from every gardener, perfectly tolerates frosts, even at -5 degrees in April, the color does not fall off, therefore it is recommended for growing in colder regions than the temperate climatic zone. The crown is spreading, the tree grows tall, so it is recommended to pinch the top to form a suitable option for industrial use. Growing the Revna variety, you will always have cherries, even in the "leanest" year, since the stability of fruiting is greater than that of other varieties.
3. Cherry Fatezh. Quite an interesting specimen, which was bred quite recently. Annual seedlings grow straight up, forming a crown in the form of a peak, after which they bend over and hang down to the ground for the next 4-5 years, thereby significantly increasing the convenience of harvesting. It gives up to 60 kg from a 10-year-old tree, for which it received very high marks from many gardeners who grow it. High winter hardiness and indifference to sudden temperature changes in spring made it number 1 among high-yielding options. It needs to be grown only next to other trees for high-quality pollination. Early cherry, ripens in early June or even late May, depending on the temperature of the year.

Foreign varieties are not recommended to be grown in our temperate latitude. They require increased attention, are whimsical to droughts and do not tolerate frosts well. It is best to give preference to Russian selection, since the plants are maximally acclimatized in our growing conditions and are maximally resistant to insect pests.