Sweet cherry Anniversary

This variety was developed at the Far Eastern Experimental Station of VNIIR in 1997 from crossing of varieties Damanka x pollen mixture (Summer + Red Sweet + Fire). Authors: V.P. Tsarenko, N.A. Tsarenko. Introduced into the State Register in 1999.

The bush is tall (1.7 m), oval, medium density. Multi-year branches are thick, straight, gray-brown, with numerous light stipules. One-year shoots are red-brown, hairy. Buds are small, acute, form in threes; terminal buds are generative, middle one vegetative, hairy, deviated from the shoot. Leaf blade is slightly concave, oval (5.5 x 3.5 cm), dark green, with pointed apex and acute base, corrugated, stiff, hairy on abaxial side with short hairs, and velvety on adaxial side. Leaf margin is doubly toothed. Petiole 0.5 cm long, medium thickness, green, hairy, with 2 acute-linear, hairy stipules. Flower (1-2) saucer-shaped, medium size (2.2 cm in diameter of corolla), five-petaled, petals white, freely arranged. Stamens 26, pistil one, hairy, ovary hairy. Stigma is located at the level of anthers. Calyx is elongated-oval, green with anthocyanin, hairy outside, with five lobes, finely toothed, hairy. Stamens length 0.3 cm, pistil 0.4 cm. Pedicel 0.3 cm long, hairy. Flowering and fruiting type is continuous along the branch: on one-year and multi-year wood (bouquet branches, fruiting twigs). Fruits are closely pressed together.

Fruit is large, average weight 3.5 g, size 1.3 x 1.5 x 1.4 cm. Fruit shape is broadly oval, with a slanted apex with a noticeable beak and rounded base with deep depression, ventral suture in the form of a stripe. Skin is shiny, burgundy, slightly hairy with short hairs. Flesh is red, fibrous, juicy. Juice color is red. Pedicel 0.5 cm long, medium thickness, hairy. Stone is medium size, weight 0.18 g, light-brown, broadly oval, accounts for 5.1% of fruit weight. Apex is acute, base is sharp, does not detach from flesh.

Fresh fruits contain dry matter — 12.4%, sugars — 7.8%, acids — 1.1%, ascorbic acid — 32 mg/100g. Fruit appearance is attractive. Flesh is juicy, fibrous. Taste is pleasantly sour-sweet, harmonious. Sensory evaluation 4.3 points. Semi-dry fruit detachment. Utilization is universal: consumption fresh and processing into juice, jam, jelly, pastille, marmalade, compote, wine and others.

Flowering period 21-29 May. Ripe period 16-26 July. Ripening duration is average. Variety is early-bearing. Grafted seedlings start fruiting in 2 years, rootstock ones in 3-4 years. Plant longevity 16-18 years. Variety is self-sterile.

High yield — 8.9 kg per bush. In Primorsky Krai, bushes with generative buds are resistant to winter frosts, flowers to spring frosts. Variety is drought-resistant, does not tolerate waterlogging.

High production value: winter hardiness, early bearing, high yield, large fruit size, semi-dry fruit detachment, longevity. Easily propagated by green cuttings. Suitable for intensive orchards with nearby processing facilities; for nurseries and hobby gardening.

Advantages: large fruit size, good fruit taste, high yield, semi-dry fruit detachment, high winter hardiness.

Disadvantages: fruit size reduction under heavy fruit load, susceptibility to moniliosis.