Cherries can be found in almost any garden. She is loved not only because of the delicious fruits, but also for the unique color and beneficial properties of both fruits and branches with roots and bark. Recently, Apukhtinskaya cherry has become increasingly popular.
Characteristic of the variety
This variety was bred from the variety Lotova in the village. Apukhtino, which is located in the Tula region.
Apukhtinskaya cherry has the appearance of a not too tall tree, which is perfect for planting the entire garden plot. Its appearance can be seen in the photo below.
A distinctive feature of this variety is that the seedlings after planting in the second year begin to bear fruit, and the yield grows every year. Annual branches also bear fruit.
The fruits, in comparison with other varieties, have a darker red color, which can sometimes turn brown. The fruit of the Apukhta variety is larger than that of an ordinary cherry. Their weight can reach 3,5 g, and in some cases even 4 g. A feature of the fruits of this tree is that they have an unusual heart-shaped shape, and their pulp is very juicy and always looks great. The juice also has an intense dark red hue. The berries contain a lot of free acids and sugar. A medium-sized oval-shaped bone is characteristic.
The berries themselves have a tart and sour taste, and sometimes they can give off a slight bitterness. Due to their properties, the fruits are used mainly for the preparation of various jams, marmalades and compotes. They turn out to be spicy and unusual in their taste characteristics, which distinguishes the Apukhta cherry from other types.
Also, this cherry is characterized by a rather long stem. The separation of ripe fruits from it occurs easily and dryly (there is no violation of the integrity of the berry skin and juice leakage). But unripe berries are separated quite problematic.
Apukhtinskaya cherry is a late species that ripens almost at the very end of summer – in August. It also blooms much later, somewhere in early June. Therefore, it cannot be used to pollinate earlier cherry varieties that are already growing on your site.
The variety itself is classified as self-pollinating, self-fertile. This is due to the structural features of the flower – the height of the stamens with anthers and the height of the pistil are almost the same. Thanks to this, self-pollination is possible even before the opening of the flower.
The tree can reach three to seven meters in height. This is its maximum height. But at the same time, such a cherry is quite branchy. Her crown is usually drooping. If desired, it can be made in the form of a bush, which will greatly facilitate the harvest.
Usually, up to ten kilograms of berries can be collected from one bush or tree of the Apukhta cherry.
This variety has a high degree of resistance to various diseases, but still you should not completely rely on it, because in rare cases, infection of the tree can still occur. More susceptible to coccomycosis.
This is a very unpretentious variety in its care. It is recommended for planting in the southwestern and northwestern regions, as it has a satisfactory winter hardiness.
Peculiarities of growing
This cherry can be easily grown both on farms and in household plots.
When growing Apukhta cherries, you need to know the following features:
- pollination with other varieties can significantly increase the yield of a tree;
- to obtain a sufficient level of yield, it is necessary to plant about 5 trees at once;
- the best time for planting is spring;
- one- and two-year-old seedlings are optimal for planting;
- seedlings should be planted on gentle slopes from the southwestern, western and northwestern directions;
- once every 3 years, the tree is fertilized with organic fertilizers;
- subject to the introduction of mineral fertilizers and humus into the pit before planting a seedling, during the first years it is possible not to fertilize cherries;
- the crown can be formed from 2 years.
The rest of the care is similar to the care of other varieties of this fruit tree.
Video “Care for cherries”
According to its characteristics, the Apukhta variety is similar to felt, so from this video you can get some information regarding our species.
For all its unpretentiousness in care and due to the taste characteristics of its fruits, the Apukhta cherry will be a worthy addition to your garden.