Caucasian

This variety was developed at the North Caucasus Regional Institute of Horticulture and Viticulture (Krasnodar) through pollination of the 'Napoleon White' cherry with pollen from the 'Anadolskaya' plum. Authors: M.A. Kolesnikov, E.M. Alekhina. Approved and introduced for commercial use in the North Caucasus region since 1987. It is the main medium-early ripening variety in Krasnodar Krai.

The tree is fast-growing, medium-sized, with a wide-oval, moderately dense and leafy crown. One-year-old shoots are light brown with green coloring and a grayish bloom. Buds are medium-sized; generative buds are oval and elongated, vegetative buds are conical. Leaves are oval and narrowly oval (15.0 x 6.8), medium-sized, dark green in color without anthocyanin, apex sharply pointed, base acute or broad-lobed, margin doubly serrated, leaf blade flat, matte, with slight pubescence on the underside. Petiole is medium in length and thickness, with anthocyanin coloring along its entire length, glands well-colored, arranged 2-3 per petiole. Flowers are clustered in inflorescences of 2-3, above average size, dish-shaped, petals rounded, freely spaced, pink, color intensifies upon fading. Stamen are short and medium, pistil long (1.8 cm), positioned above the anthers. Calyx is cup-shaped with smooth sepals. Bears fruit on flower clusters (up to 82%) and at the base of growth shoots.

Fruits are medium-sized (6.0-6.5 g), maximum fruit weight reaches 7.5 g, wide-oval (2.4 x 2.3 x 2.1), shallow pit, almost no indentation, apex rounded, covering color dark red, flesh dark red, medium density, juicy. Juice dark red, bright. Stone is oval (0.2 g), light beige, apex and base rounded, easily separates from flesh. Pedicel is medium in length and thickness, easily separates from fruit, dry detachment.

Fruits are attractive, glossy, smooth, with high flavor qualities (taste evaluation 4.8 points), resistant to cracking. Contains 17.4% dry matter, 12.0% sugars, 0.6% acids, 11.3 mg/100g ascorbic acid, 38.4 mg/100g vitamin P. Fruit transportability is very good, intended for universal use, suitable for fresh consumption and various types of processing.

Belongs to early flowering varieties; fruits ripen in medium-early periods — early June (June 1-7). Begins fruiting at age 5. Self-sterile. High yield; in favorable years, during full fruiting reaches over 60 kg/tree — 12.5 t/ha (planting scheme 8 x 6).

Exhibits high winter hardiness under extreme winter conditions; moderate resistance to spring frosts. Drought resistance is adequate. The variety is practically resistant to major fungal diseases, weakly susceptible to coccomycosis. Aphid infestation is minimal, no plum moth infestation observed.

Advantages: marketability and high fruit quality, resistance to major diseases, high productivity.

Disadvantages: insufficient resistance to spring frosts.