Sweet Cherry (Prunus avium) PAULA

Sweet Cherry (Prunus avium) 'Paula'

A Latvian yellow heart-shaped cherry with deliciously sweet and firm flesh.

'Paula' is an attractive Latvian sweet cherry variety (heart cherry) that stands out with its medium to large fruits of an unusual yellow color. The flesh is firm, cream-colored, and has a very pleasant, mild, and sweet taste. The tree is characterized by good frost hardiness of both its wood and flower buds, and overall good resistance to diseases. It is an excellent variety for fresh consumption that will brighten up any garden.

Main advantages of the variety:

• Attractive yellow fruits: Beautiful heart-shaped yellow fruits adorn the tree.
• Excellent sweet taste: The flesh is sweet, mild, and very tasty, with a high sugar content (16.5 °Brix).
• Firm flesh: The fruits are firm, suitable for fresh eating and transport.
• Good frost hardiness: Reliably withstands winter frosts.
• Good disease resistance: An overall healthy and robust variety.

Origin and Registration

• Country of origin: Latvia, Dobele
• Cross: Open pollination of the ‘Krupnoplodnaya’ variety
• Year of registration: 2011

Variety Characteristics

Tree

Growth is medium-strong, forming a well-shaped pyramidal crown. The variety is cross-pollinated; to ensure an abundant harvest, it needs another cherry variety blooming at the same time nearby.

Fruit

• Size and shape: Medium to large, heart-shaped.
• Skin: Attractive yellow color.
• Flesh: Cream-colored, firm, and juicy.
• Taste: Sweet, mild, and very pleasant.

Resistance and Requirements

• Frost hardiness: The variety has good frost hardiness of both wood and flower buds.
• Diseases: It has good resistance to common cherry diseases.
• Cracking: The fruits are slightly prone to cracking in rainy weather.

Growing Recommendations

• Use: Excellent as a dessert fruit for fresh consumption, also suitable for processing (compotes, jams).
• Pollination: As it is cross-pollinated, it requires the presence of another cherry tree as a pollinator.

Harvest and Storage

• Harvest time: Mid-early, at the turn of June and July.
• Eating maturity: Immediately after harvest.
• Storability: Intended for immediate consumption or quick processing.