Sweet Cherry (Prunus avium) OVSTUZHENKA

Sweet Cherry (Prunus avium) 'Ovstuzhenka'

An early Russian variety with low growth and high resistance to frost and diseases.

'Ovstuzhenka' (Овстуженка) is a popular early cherry variety, valued for its low growth, early ripening, and excellent resistance of its flowers to spring frosts. It is also characterized by high and regular yield and high resistance to fungal diseases such as moniliosis and shot hole disease. These qualities make it a very reliable and low-maintenance variety, suitable even for less favorable conditions.

Main advantages of the variety:

• Low tree growth facilitating harvest.
• High resistance of flowers to spring frosts.
• High and regular yield.
• Early ripening and sweet fruit flavour.
• High disease resistance (moniliosis, shot hole disease).
• Fruits are resistant to cracking.

Origin and Registration

• Country of origin: Russia
• Breeder: M. V. Kanshina
• Institution: All-Russian Research Institute of Lupin (VNIIL)
• Crossing: ‘Kompaktnaya Venyaminova’ × ‘Leningradskaya chernaya’
• Registration: Included in the State Register of the Russian Federation in 2001.

Variety Characteristics

Tree

• Growth: Small, fast-growing, reaches a height of 3.5 – 4 m.
• Crown: Globular, slightly upright, dense.
• Fruiting habit: Bears fruit mainly on bouquet spurs (63%).
• Pollination: It is partially self-fertile; requires pollinators for high yields.

Fruit

• Size and weight: Large, with an average weight of 4.2 g (maximum 6.7 g).
• Shape and colour: Round, dark red.
• Flesh: Dark red, juicy.
• Flavour: Sweet (rating 4.2/5).
• Stone: Small (0.27 g), easily separable from the flesh.
• Use: Versatile.

Resistance and Requirements

• Frost resistance: Good. Flowers are resistant to spring frosts.
• Disease resistance: High resistance to shot hole disease and moniliosis, medium to leaf spot.
• Cracking resistance: Fruits do not crack.
• Requirements: Requires light, fertile soils and a sunny, sheltered location.

Cultivation Recommendations

• To ensure a high yield, it is essential to plant a suitable pollinator nearby, for example, the 'Iput', 'Revna', or 'Tyutchevka' varieties.

Harvest and Storage

• Harvest time: Early (first half of June).
• Harvest characteristics: Dry scar.
• Yield: High and regular.
• Entry into bearing: 4th to 5th year after planting.