Sweet Cherry x Sour Cherry (Prunus x gondouinii) IGRUSHKA

Duke Cherry (Prunus × gondouinii) 'Igrushka'

A Ukrainian duke cherry with extremely large fruits and very high yield.

'Igrushka' (Игрушка) is a unique Ukrainian hybrid of sour and sweet cherry (a duke cherry), renowned for its extremely large fruits and exceptionally high yield. It is also characterized by vigorous, decorative growth and very good disease resistance. Its main weakness is the lower frost resistance of its flower buds and the low transportability of its fruits, which require a prompt harvest.

Main advantages of the variety:

• Very high yield: Up to 72 kg per tree.
• Extremely large fruits with good flavour (up to 8.5 g).
• High disease resistance.
• Good drought resistance.
• Early entry into bearing.

Origin and Registration

• Country of origin: Ukraine
• Breeders: V. A. Turovtseva and N. I. Turovtsev
• Institution: M. F. Sidorenko Institute of Irrigated Horticulture of the UAAS
• Crossing: Sour cherry ‘Lyubskaya’ × Sweet cherry ‘Solnechny shar’
• Registration: Included in the State Register in 1996.

Variety Characteristics

Tree

• Growth: Vigorous, lush.
• Crown: Globular, densely foliated, very decorative.
• Fruiting habit: Bears fruit on bouquet spurs and on one-year-old wood.
• Pollination: It is cross-pollinated.

Fruit

• Size and weight: Very large, uniform, with an average weight of 8.5 g.
• Shape and colour: Round-heart-shaped, dark red.
• Flesh and juice: The flesh is dark red, tender, and juicy.
• Flavour: Sweet-tart (rating 4.5/5).
• Stone: Medium-sized, round, easily separable from the flesh.
• Use: Versatile (fresh consumption, jams, compotes, freezing).

Resistance and Requirements

• Frost resistance: Medium. The wood withstands frosts down to -25 °C, but the flower buds are more sensitive.
• Disease resistance: Very good, resistant to many diseases.
• Drought resistance: Resistant.

Cultivation Recommendations

• To ensure a harvest, it is essential to plant a suitable pollinator nearby, for example, the sour cherry ‘Shalunya’ or the sweet cherry ‘Krupnoplodnaya’.
• Due to the sensitivity of the flower buds to frost, it is advisable to choose a sheltered location.
• The fruits are prone to dropping, so a timely and quick harvest is necessary.

Harvest and Storage

• Harvest time: Mid-early (late June to early July).
• Yield: Very high (up to 72.1 kg per tree).
• Entry into bearing: Early, in the 3rd year after planting.
• Transportability and storability: Low.