Cerapadus: a hybrid of cherry and bird cherry

A hybrid of cherry and bird cherry was created by Michurin I.V., by pollinating the Ideal cherry with pollen from the Japanese bird cherry Maak. The new type of culture was called cerapadus. In the case when the mother plant is bird cherry, the hybrid is called padocerus.

The history of the emergence of hybrids

At the beginning of hybridization, the breeder took steppe cherries and bird cherry as a basis, the result was negative. Michurin’s next decision was to replace the bird cherry with the Japanese Maaka. Cross-pollination was carried out in two directions, cherry flowers were crossed with bird cherry pollen and vice versa. In both cases, a new stone fruit culture was obtained. The scientist gave the name according to the first syllables of the Latin designation of species – cherry (cerasus), bird cherry (padus).

New hybrids were not immediately recognized as independent berry plants; they only partially inherited the characteristics of the founder species. Cerapadus and padocerus had a branched, well-developed root system, formed inflorescences and the number of fruits, as in parental varieties, well resisted diseases. But the berries were bitter with an almond smell, small. The first generation of hybrids was later used as a rootstock for breeding new varieties of cherries or sweet cherries.

Distinctive features of hybrids

During a long work on breeding a culture with a minimum number of shortcomings, we got Cerapadus sweet. The berry plant inherited from the cherry Ideal fruits:

• the shape of the berries of the bird cherry and cherry hybrid is round, of medium volume;
• peel – thin, dense, flesh – dark red;
• surface – glossy, closer to black;
• taste – sweet and sour, well balanced.

From Maak, the hybrid received a strong root system, frost resistance. Cerapadus has strong immunity, thanks to bird cherry, the plant practically does not get sick and is not affected by pests.

A feature of cerapadus and padocerus is the possibility of their use as a rootstock for less resistant varieties of cherries or sweet cherries. Grafted varieties safely tolerate low temperatures, they are grown in regions with a temperate climate, the range has spread far beyond the Central region of Our Country.

Created on the basis of the first hybrids, cerapadus varieties not only have high frost resistance, they give a high, stable yield of berries. The fruits are large with a taste of cherries, with a slight aroma of bird cherry. A tree with a lot of branches and shoots, the leaves are similar to those of a sweet cherry, slightly oblong in shape. The plant forms a dense crown, pressed against the trunk, dome-shaped.

Later, padocerus cultivars were obtained with the appearance of bird cherry, the fruits are located on clusters, the berries are large, black, with a cherry sweet taste. They bloom in early spring, the flowers are not afraid of returning frosts.

Berries of culture of universal application. Eat fresh, use to make jam, compote, juice. The plant is unpretentious in care, self-fertile, in most varieties do not require pollinators.

Advantages and disadvantages of dukes

A culture obtained by crossing bird cherry and cherry has a number of advantages:

• has a powerful root system;
• good resistance to low temperatures;
• gives berries enriched with microelements and vitamins useful for the body;
• fruits in taste combine the sweetness of cherries and the aroma of bird cherry;
• hybrids are self-pollinating, always give a high yield;
• unpretentious in agricultural technology;
• resistant to infection, rarely affected by garden pests;
• serve as a strong stock for heat-loving varieties of cherries.

No disadvantages were found in padocerus and cerapadus during cultivation.

Varieties of cerapadus

The photo shows hybrids of bird cherry and cherry, where the parent tree is cherry.

The most popular and common is cerapadus Novella:

• tree height – up to 3 m, branched crown, intensively leafy;
• it is not affected by coccomycosis;
• has a well-developed root system;
• frost-resistant;
• berries are large – up to 5 g, black with a glossy surface, grow singly or in 2 pieces;
• The plant is self-fertile, pollinators are not needed.

The Novella variety is grown in the Central Black Earth region, the Kursk and Lipetsk regions.

In memory of Lewandowski – grows in the form of a shrub, up to 1,8 m high. The berries are large, sweet and sour, with a clear taste of bird cherry. The variety is not self-fertile, the neighborhood of pollinating varieties of cherry Subbotinskaya or Lyubskaya is necessary. The culture is frost-resistant, tolerates high temperatures well. The yield is average, depends on the quality of pollination, weather conditions do not affect fruiting. The variety is new, it was bred for cultivation in the Northern regions.

Cerapadus Rusinka – a special cultivar for the Moscow region. Plant in the form of a shrub up to 2 m tall, with a strong crown and a powerful root. Medium early fruiting period. The yield is high due to the self-pollination of the hybrid. Berries of medium volume, black, very fragrant. Sweet and sour with burgundy flesh. The bone separates well. This hybrid is often grown commercially for making cherry juice.

Varieties of padocerus

Hybrid varieties of padocerus are not inferior in varietal characteristics to cerapadus, many cultivars are even superior in taste. The most popular among gardeners is the Kharitonovsky variety, derived from the basic hybrid Padocerus-M:

1. The variety grows in the form of a tree, reaching a height of up to 3,5 m.
2. Frost-resistant, tolerates temperatures down to -40⁰ C.
3. Mid-season, not self-fertile, requires pollinators.
4. The fruits are bright red, the flesh is orange, the mass of the berry is up to 7 g, they grow singly.

Grown in the Voronezh, Tambov, Lipetsk regions, in the Moscow region.

Firebird – padocerus grows in the form of a bush up to 2,5 m. The fruits are dark red, with astringency of bird cherry, formed on the brush. Fruit size on average – up to 3,5 cm. The crop yields high, resistant to infection. Frost resistance is average, the culture is not suitable for growing in a temperate climate. Areas with a warm climate are recommended.

Padocerus Korona – a young hybrid, characterized by high productivity, frost resistance. The fruits are purple in color, arranged in a group on the brush. On the palate there is a pronounced aroma of bird cherry and a slight sourness. It grows in the form of a shrub, reaches a height of up to 2 m. The foliage is medium, the crown is loose. The plant does not get sick, it is not affected by pests. Recommended for growing areas of Central Our Country.

Planting and caring for bird cherry and cherry hybrids

The culture is bred with seedlings purchased in specialized stores or reputable nurseries. The culture is rare, rarely found in gardens, you need to be sure that it was cerapadus that you purchased, and not a similar fruit crop.

Algorithm for planting seedlings

Cerapadus and padocerus can be placed on the site in the spring after the snow melts or in the fall 3 weeks before the onset of frost. The culture tolerates low temperatures well, freezing of the root system does not threaten it. Hybrids take root well due to the developed root system.

The place for planting is determined in an area open to ultraviolet radiation, shading is not allowed, the seedling is protected from exposure to cold wind. The soil is preferably neutral. Fertile or medium fertile. Drainage does not play a role, the root of the cerapadus, which penetrates deep into the soil, the close location of groundwater for the hybrid is not dangerous.

The landing recess is prepared 21 days before the autumn planting. If the planting material is planted in the spring (approximately at the beginning of April), then the pit is prepared in the fall. The holes are made in a standard size – 50 * 50 cm, depth – 40 cm. If a group planting is planned, the root circle of an adult plant is about 2,5 m, the seedlings are placed at an interval of 3 m from each other. Row spacing – up to 3,5 m.

Before planting, a mixture of sand, peat and compost is prepared in the same proportion, either potash or phosphorus fertilizer is added – 100 g per 3 buckets of soil. You can replace the same amount of nitrophoska. The root of the hybrid before being placed in the hole for 2 hours is dipped in a solution that stimulates growth.

Sequencing:

1. Pour 1/2 of the mixture into the bottom of the recess.
2. Make a small hill out of it.
3. A root is placed on a hill, carefully distributed.
4. Fall asleep with the second part of the mixture, compacted so that there are no voids.
5. They fall asleep to the top, the root neck should remain on the surface.

Water and mulch with a layer of straw or sawdust, do not use needles for mulch. Within 2 years, the seedling gives a slight increase. This is the time of formation of the root system. The following year, cerapadus grows rapidly and forms a crown. The tree begins to bear fruit in the 5th year.

Aftercare for hybrids

Cerapadus, like bird cherry and cherry, does not require special agricultural technology, the plant is unpretentious, especially adult. Near young seedlings loosen the soil and remove weeds as needed. The hybrid gives a dense basal growth, it must be cut off. Cerapadus does not require watering, seasonal rainfall is enough, in a drought, a young tree needs intensive watering under the root once every 30 days. Top dressing is applied to the seedling at the time of planting, subsequent top dressing is not needed.

A mandatory procedure is the processing of the hybrid before sap flow in the spring with Bordeaux liquid, whitewashing the trunk in autumn and spring. The hybrid practically does not get sick, and insects do not affect it. For prevention or when problems are detected, the fruit crop is treated with the Aktofit biological product. No additional measures are required for a hybrid.

Culture is formed after 3 years of growth. A tree stem is formed up to 60 cm high, skeletal branches are left on 3 tiers. The lower tier of the branch is longer, the subsequent ones are shorter than the previous ones. Formation is carried out in early spring before sap flow or in autumn, when the tree is at rest. In the spring, old, dry branches are pruned. Thin out the crown, cut off the root shoots. By autumn, preparatory measures are not required, only the root of the seedlings is covered with a layer of dry leaves or sawdust. For an adult tree, shelter is irrelevant.

How a hybrid of cherry and bird cherry breeds

The hybrid of cherry and bird cherry is propagated only by cuttings. Planting material is taken only from trees that have entered the full fruiting phase. The age of the daughter bushes must be at least 5 years old. Cuttings are cut from the tops of young shoots. The length of the shoot must be at least 8 cm. Planting material is placed in fertile soil and removed in the shade. When the cuttings form a root, determine the permanent place of growth.

What can be prepared from a hybrid of bird cherry and cherry

Many varieties of culture produce sweet, juicy, fragrant fruits, they are consumed fresh. No matter how tasty the berries are, they combine both cherries and bird cherry, not everyone likes their exotic taste. There are varieties of hybrids that give tart, bitter fruits, their flavors disappear after heat treatment. Therefore, it is recommended to process berries into juice, jam, jam, compote. You can make homemade wine or liqueur with herbs. Regardless of what the berry will be processed for, the bone, which contains hydrocyanic acid, is first removed from it.

Conclusion

A hybrid of cherry and bird cherry has become the founder of many varieties grown throughout the Federation. From bird cherry, the culture inherited good immunity to infection, frost resistance, and a strong root system. Cherry provided the hybrid with the shape and taste of the fruit. Plants are grown as a fruit crop or a strong rootstock for cherries, plums, sweet cherries.