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Steppe cherry is very popular among gardeners and is common in vast areas of Our Country, due to the greatest, among cherries, drought resistance and winter hardiness. This is one of the few bush varieties that can endure harsh winters without shelter.
Description of the species
Appearance
Steppe cherry belongs to undersized shrubs. An adult bush has a height of 0,5-1,5 meters. It is mainly propagated by basal shoots, very rarely by cuttings. In an adult plant, the roots are long branching, with numerous outgoing adventitious shoots. The distance between adjacent shoots on the root is approximately 70-90 cm. Young offspring are reddish-brown in color, elongated, monopodial in shape. Their aerial part is covered with lanceolate, scaly leaves, dying off in the process of further growth of the shoot.
Mature trunks have a dark gray bark. They are erect, branched, covered with scattered hairs during the period of active growth, and become bare over time. The foliage is oblong, 8-16 mm long, depending on the age of the shoot, has a more rounded oval or lanceolate shape. The leaves are smooth dark green, lighter below, pinnate.
The distribution area runs from Northern Asia and Siberia to Western Europe. It is not uncommon in Italy, in the south of Germany and the central regions of Poland.
Flowering and fruits
Blooms profusely. The flowers are small, collected in 3-5 umbellate inflorescences or solitary, appear simultaneously with the leaves or before they bloom. Shrub cherry on the garden plot looks attractive and picturesque, has a low growth rate. It belongs to partially self-fertile varieties, so other pollinating varieties should be planted nearby to obtain ovaries.
The berries of the steppe cherry, as a rule, are small, in rare grafted varieties they are medium in size, dark red or red in color with a dense skin. They have a sweet-sour, watery taste. Shrub cherries are very susceptible to fungal diseases, in particular to coccomycosis. In the photo you can see the shape of the berries and leaves, the appearance of the bush, in general.
Sorts
For the convenience of gardeners, below is a description of the most common varieties of steppe cherries.
Generous
The height of the bush reaches 2,3 meters, has a wide, sprawling shape with shoots raised upwards, of medium foliage. The leaves are elongated, shiny, dark green.
In inflorescence 3-4 flowers, corolla open 20 mm in diameter. It bears fruit on annual growth and bouquet branches. The berries are medium large, weighing 3-4 g, dark red in color, resistant to cracking. They have a sweet, watery taste. Separation from the stalk is dry.
Refers to self-fertile varieties. The flowering period is in the middle terms, May 18-25. The fruits ripen late, non-simultaneously, in the second half of August. Begins to bear fruit at 3-4 years of age. Productivity is high, annual. Given regular anti-aging pruning and proper feeding, this variety is relatively durable – up to 32 years.
It has high winter hardiness and drought resistance. Flowers and buds are resistant to spring frosts.
Bolotovskaya
Broad-round, spreading shrub up to 1,7 m tall. The leaves are glossy bright green, elongated, oval in shape. 4 flowers in an inflorescence. The fruits are large 4-4,5 g, round, dark red. The pulp is medium density, red, juicy, sweet-sour. Berries are resistant to cracking.
Refers to highly self-fertile varieties. The period of flowering and fruit ripening is medium late. The berries ripen in the first part of August. Fruits in 2-3 years, with proper and timely care for more than 30 years in one place. Drought tolerant. Winter hardy. Susceptible to fungal diseases. The yield is high.
Ashinskaya
Tree-like, fast-growing, up to 2,2-2,7 m high. The crown is conical, medium thickened. The leaf is dark green, oblong, rounded, narrowly oval, curved upwards, the petiole is short. The flowers are small, 5-6 per inflorescence, the pedicel is short.
The fruits are large, weighing 4-4,5 g, dark red juicy, the skin is dense. Crack resistant. The taste is sweet and sour. They ripen late, in early August. The variety is partially self-fertile. The flowering period is medium, stretched. Fruits for 4-5 years, up to 30 years in one place. Average frost resistance. High resistance to fungal diseases. Drought tolerant. Productivity is high, annual.
Maksimovskaya
Cherry Maksimovskaya, like the Irtyshskaya, has a multi-stemmed bush, up to 1,5-1,8 m high. The crown is medium thickened, pyramidal. The branches are light brown, spreading, smooth. The leaves are shiny, light green, short-pointed, rounded, oblong in shape.
The flowering period is medium. The berries are large, red, oblong-round, on long stalks. Ripens in mid-July. They have a sweet-sour taste, juicy. Yield is high, annual.
Drought resistance and winter hardiness are high. Propagated by cuttings, forms little root shoots.
Desired
The bush is medium tall, up to 1,5-1,7 m high. The crown is medium thickened, wide, raised. Shoots and branches, brown, covered with small lenticels and gray bloom, drooping. The leaves are elongated, pointed, light green in color, the petiole is short.
The flowering period is early. The berries are medium-sized 3-3,4 g, dark red or red, ripen in the second half of July. Productivity is high, annual. Fruiting begins from 2-3 years. Drought resistance and winter hardiness are high. This variety is resistant to weeding. It forms little basal shoots, propagated by cuttings.
Peculiarities of growing
Planting and fertilizing
Landing and care is, first of all, in the right choice of location. Steppe cherries do not bear fruit well and often turn white in a shaded area; a sunny place is chosen for it, where in winter the snow level does not exceed 70-90 cm, since part of the bark in the root zone can warm up when the snow melts. You can reduce the risk of damping off by planting cherries on small mounds or ridges. This variety is not whimsical to the soil, but you should give preference to medium and light sandy loam.
Before planting, be sure to add humus 4-5 kg per m2 to the depth of the roots, potash and phosphorus fertilizers, dissolving them in 15-20 liters of water. This will allow you to get a large yield in a short time next year. Steppe cherries are planted in early spring, when the soil thaws and warm, constant weather sets in. During the growing season, fertilizing with superphosphates is mandatory. During the period of intensive growth, 2-3 plentiful waterings should be carried out, in the amount of 3-5 buckets for each bush. The first watering is carried out immediately after flowering, combining it with top dressing, the second – after the fruit set, during their ripening.
Chemical treatment and cutting
Since the steppe cherry mainly bears fruit on annual branches, a decrease in its growth leads to a significant decrease in yield and fruit shrinkage. With regular, timely pruning, cherries can bear fruit abundantly in one place for 18-20 years.
The bush is thinned out, leaving no more than 8-14 branches with developed lateral branches. It is necessary to remove damaged, dried branches – a source of reproduction and wintering of the disease. To increase the yield and quality of berries, remove excess root shoots and branches older than 7-8 years, under the ring. Annually, 3-4 basal branches should be left. In no case do not shorten annual shoots.
Since the steppe cherry has a high tendency to fungal diseases, for prevention during the flowering period, the first spraying with special preparations is mandatory. And repeat 2-3 treatments every 7-10 days.
Video “Shrub cherry, or steppe”
This video clip highlights the features of fruiting, care and planting of this variety.