Cherry (Prunus avium) DONECKIJ 42-37

Sweet Cherry - Variety 'Doneckij 42-37'

'Doneckij 42-37' is an exceptional Ukrainian sweet cherry variety that stands out primarily for its extreme fruit size and premium dessert quality. In many pomological collections, it ranks among the varieties with the largest cherries overall. It is an outstanding choice for fans of big, firm, crunchy, and sweet bicolored cherries.

Sweet Cherry (Prunus avium) 'Doneckij 42-37'

Bred in Ukraine at the Donetsk Pomology Research Station by the acclaimed breeder L. I. Taranenko. It is celebrated for its genetic capacity to bear massive dessert cherries with a superior taste profile.

Main advantages of the variety:

• Extreme fruit size: Average fruit weight of 9 – 10 g, reaching up to an impressive 12 g with optimal care.
• Superb dessert flavor: Highly sweet, harmoniously complemented by mild acidity (tasting score 4.7 out of 5).
• Firm bigarreau texture: Dense, crunchy, and exceptionally juicy flesh providing a satisfying bite.
• Attractive coloration: Beautiful bicolored appearance – bright yellow base with a vivid red-to-pink blush.
• Airy canopy: Wide branch attachment angles allow excellent sunlight penetration and easy pruning.
• Winter-hardy wood: The tree itself demonstrates very high tolerance to severe winter frosts.

Detailed variety description: Plant

• Growth and habit: The tree exhibits vigorous, strong, and vital growth.
• Canopy: Forms a broad pyramidal, upright crown. It is naturally sparse and open, featuring wide branch angles that facilitate training and ensure ample sunlight for the fruit.

Fruits and flavor profile

• Size and shape: Fruits are extraordinarily large (9 – 10 g, occasionally up to 12 g) with an oblate (flattened-round) shape and medium-length stems.
• Color and skin: Smooth, glossy skin with a yellow background largely covered on the sunny side by a bright red to radiant pink blush.
• Flesh and stone: Creamy white to pale yellow. True bigarreau type – firm, crisp, dense, and remarkably juicy. Large, broadly elliptical stone.
• Taste: Premium dessert standard. Rich and pronounced sweetness balanced by delicate, refreshing tartness. Outstanding for fresh eating.

Growing characteristics and agrotechnics

• Ripening and yield:
  • Harvest window: Mid-early to mid-late variety, typically ripening during the first to second decade of July.
  • Productivity: Delivers high, steady annual yields.
• Pollination: Self-sterile. Requires cross-pollination from another compatible sweet cherry variety blooming during the same window.
• Hardiness and site requirements:
  • Cold tolerance: The tree wood is very cold-hardy. However, flower buds display only moderate frost tolerance and risk damage from late spring frosts. Best planted in protected spots away from frost pockets.
  • Susceptibility to cracking: Due to their large size and crisp flesh, the fruits are prone to splitting during heavy rains at harvest time.
  • Disease resistance: Features good general resistance against typical fungal cherry diseases.

Disadvantages of the variety:

• Fruit splitting: Sensitive to rain cracking if wet weather occurs during the ripening stage in July.
• Flower bud sensitivity: Moderate cold hardiness of buds during late spring frosts.
• Self-sterile: Strictly requires a pollinator partner tree nearby.