Sour Cherry (Prunus cerasus) HARITONOVSKAJA

Sour Cherry (Prunus cerasus) 'Haritonovskaja'

A Russian variety with large fruits, excellent taste, and high resistance.

'Haritonovsaja' is a proven Russian sour cherry variety, prized for its high and stable productivity, excellent fruit flavor, and high resistance to diseases, especially the dreaded leaf spot (coccomycosis) and moniliosis. The fruits are large, dark red, with unusual orange, juicy flesh and an excellent sweet-tart taste with a cherry-like aftertaste. The tree has a smaller, compact growth habit and is partially self-fertile, making it a low-maintenance and very rewarding variety.

Main advantages of the variety:

• Excellent sweet-tart taste: The fruits have a dessert quality with a cherry-like aftertaste.
• High disease resistance: Especially resistant to leaf spot and moniliosis.
• High and stable productivity: Delivers an abundant harvest every year.
• Large, attractive fruits: The average fruit weight is 5 grams.
• Compact growth: Grows only 2–3 meters tall, suitable for smaller gardens.

Origin and Registration

• Country of origin: Russia
• Institution: I.V. Michurin All-Russian Research Institute of Genetics and Breeding of Fruit Plants
• Cross: ‘Zhukovskaya’ × ‘Almaz’
• Year of registration: 1998

Variety Characteristics

Tree

Growth is medium-strong, reaching a height of 2–3 meters. The crown is spherical and of medium density. It comes into bearing in the 3rd–4th year after planting. It is partially self-fertile but requires a pollinator for high yields (‘Zhukovskaya’, ‘Vladimirskaya’).

Fruit

• Size and weight: Large, with an average weight of 5 grams.
• Shape: Round.
• Color: Dark red, almost black when fully ripe.
• Flesh: Orange, tender, and juicy. The stone is relatively large but separates well.
• Taste: Excellent, sweet-tart, with a cherry-like aftertaste.
• Chemical composition: Dry matter 15.0%, sugars 6.8%, acids 1.48%, Vitamin C 11.0 mg/100 g.

Resistance and Requirements

• Frost hardiness: Medium, withstands frosts down to -23 °C.
• Disease resistance: High, especially against leaf spot and moniliosis.

Growing Recommendations

• Use: Universal – for fresh consumption, for processing (compotes, jams, juices, liqueurs), and for freezing.

Harvest and Storage

• Harvest time: Mid-early, in the middle of July. The fruits do not drop after ripening.
• Storability and transportability: Medium; storability is approximately 10 days.