Sweet cherry Volshebnitsa

Variety selected by the North Caucasus Regional Institute of Horticulture and Viticulture (Krasnodar). Obtained through directed selection from pollination of Drogana Yellow and French Black varieties. Author: E.M. Alekhina. Approved and undergoing state testing in the North Caucasus region since 2005.

Medium-growing tree with a wide-rounded crown, slightly elevated, medium density. Buds of medium size, vegetative buds pointed, generative buds oval, deviated from the shoot. Shoots with strong silvery bloom. Leaves oval, medium size (15.0 x 7.0), smooth, dark green, gradually pointed, base shallowly heart-shaped or rounded, double-toothed margin, upper surface flat, lower surface slightly hairy. Petiole medium size, colored throughout its length. Stipules arranged in pairs on the petiole, intense coloration. Flowers arranged in clusters of 2-5, medium to large size, dish-shaped, petals broadly oval, white, freely arranged, calyx cup-shaped, very weakly colored, sepals smooth, medium-colored, stamens short and long, stigma long, positioned both above and below the anthers.

Fruits of medium size, average fruit weight 6.6 g, maximum 7.5 g, round shape (25 x 26 x 25), skin color dark red, flesh dark red, medium density, juicy, juice dark red. Pedicel medium length and thickness, detaches from the fruit with moderate effort, dry detachment. Fruits highly attractive (4.8 points) and good dessert quality (taste evaluation 4.5 points). Contains 16.8% dry matter, 11.4% sugars, 0.58% acids, 9.2 mg/100g ascorbic acid, 38.4 mg/100g vitamin P, 143.0 mg/100g anthocyanins. Universal use variety, used in technical processing for compote, dried fruit, freezing.

Blooms in mid-late season, fruit ripening occurs in mid-June. Tree enters fruiting period at 5 years old with abundant flower cluster formation, where the main fruiting of the variety is concentrated. High yield, quickly accumulates fruit, during initial fruiting (7 years) yields 35 kg/tree — 7.2 t/ha.

Exhibits sufficient winter hardiness, suffers significant damage to fruit buds only in critical winters. Moderately resistant to spring frosts. High resistance to major fungal diseases, damaged by coccomycosis and gray fruit rot by 0.5 points, practically unaffected by aphids and cherry fly.

Advantages: high productivity, universal use of fruits.