Sour cherries taste good both fresh from the tree and cooked. But how much do you know about the tree? How big is he actually getting? Where is he originally from? Find out in the following profile.

The most important features at a glance

Plant family and genus: Rosaceae, Prunus
Origin: Near East
Growth: up to 10 m tall, upright, moderately branched
Foliage: Deciduous, deep green, ovate to elliptical
Flowers: April to May, white, hermaphrodite
Fruits: drupes, July to August
Location: sunny to semi-shady
Soil: deep, nutritious, moist
Care: Thin out or cut back once a year
Use: canned fruit, juice and wine production, fresh consumption

Flexible in growth pattern

The sour cherry is now a native plant. It is also known under the name of Vistula. Whether as a tree, shrub or bush - the sour cherry is flexible in its growth. As a tree, it has a loose and rounded crown. Their branches like to overhang a little.

From bottom to top

The root system of the sour cherry extends deep into the soil. It likes to form sprawling lateral roots that are closer to the surface and sporadically produce offshoots. The trunk or trunks are surrounded by a characteristic ringed bark. The branches have a reddish shiny bark.

In contrast to the leaves of the sweet cherry, the alternate leaves of the sour cherry are harder and glandless. They are ovate and short pointed. Their length is between 5 and 12 cm and their width between 4 and 6 cm. While dark green in color and glossy in summer, they shed a yellow in fall.

The flowering period begins between April and May. The hermaphrodite, fivefold and white flowers are in twos to fours together in umbels. They appear along with the leaves. In midsummer, the spherical fruits, up to 2 cm in size, emerge from the bell-shaped flower cup. It is best to harvest these when they are almost black in color.

Location requirements and maintenance needs

The sour cherry needs a sunny to semi-shady location. It prefers to grow in loose, light, humus- and nutrient-rich and slightly calcareous soil. In terms of care, she is undemanding. Only a regular pruning and clearing cut are required.

tips and tricks

The fruits of the sour cherry, which ripen between July and August, are not only delicious and extremely juicy, but also powerful. They contain a high iron and polyphenol content and have a laxative, blood-cleansing and diuretic effect, among other things.

KKF

Category:

Vegetable garden