Summer variety selected at the Central Siberian Botanical Garden (CSBG) of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Breeders: V. N. Vasil'eva, N. V. Moiseeva. Obtained by crossing Moscow Pear with Wild Apple (Siberian). Approved for use in the Novosibirsk region. Also widely grown in several regions and provinces of Western and Eastern Siberia, the Urals, and the Far East. Very popular in home gardens.
Low-growing tree, forms a low-trunked shape (trunk 20-30 cm). Medium-density, round crown. Branches straight, compactly arranged. Fruit clusters form in rings.
Shoots are straight, brown, hairy. Leaves are large, short-pointed, green, moderately hairy, with serrated margins. Petioles of medium length, stipules semi-lunar.
Fruits are short-ellipsoidal, arranged in clusters on branches, medium-sized (up to 38 g). Main color is yellow, blush is bright red or orange throughout the fruit. Fruit stem short and straight. Calyx does not fall off, closed. Subcalyx tube short, sac-like. Seed chambers closed, seeds small, egg-shaped, dark brown.
Flesh is pink-cream, fine-grained, medium density, juicy, slightly tart-sweet, with a mild aroma. Chemical composition of fruits: total sugars — 10.8% (8.0-13.8%), titratable acids — 1.51% (0.89-2%) on fresh weight, tannins — 0.3% (0.18-0.42%) on fresh weight, ascorbic acid — 30 mg/100g (21.1-57.5 mg/100g), polyphenolic compounds (catechins) — 224 mg/100g (122-345 mg/100g), pectic substances — 1.04% (0.7-2.5%) on fresh weight.
Fruits ripen at the beginning of September and can be stored until the end of October.
Fruits are transportable, suitable for fresh consumption and very suitable for various processing methods: juices, compotes, purees, jams, etc. For making compotes and pickling, fruits are used whole, including the stem.
Fruit production begins at 3-4 years. Yields are moderate and regular — up to 95 kg per tree. The variety is winter-hardy, low-maintenance, and resistant to scab.
Advantages of the variety: high ecological resilience, regular fruiting, high vitamin content and fruit processability, compact and sparsely branched crown, uniformity of fruits and their close arrangement — positive traits for mechanized maintenance and harvesting.
Disadvantages of the variety: not suitable for dense plantings, as shading reduces fruit color intensity.
The Siberian Souvenir variety is a valuable genetic source for breeding for winter hardiness, productivity, and high fruit vitamin content. At CSBG, this variety has been used in numerous hybrid combinations with the best introductions and selected forms of wild apple from Siberia. From the hybrid background, winter-hardy forms with early-ripening, flavorful fruits have been selected.
