The variety of cherry varieties allows these trees to be used for economic and decorative purposes. Some berries are sweet, more suitable for fresh consumption, others are more sour and at the same time aromatic, good for jam, compotes, and making alcoholic drinks. Those who are looking for not only a fruitful plant, but also one suitable for landscape design, can pay attention to the Magalebskaya Antipka cherry variety.
What kind of variety is this?
These trees are also found under the name Bird cherry Magalebka or Bird cherry Antipka, since they are really a subspecies of bird cherry.They have a dense crown and can be used to shade areas of a garden or park. Cherry is unpretentious in care and undemanding to planting conditions. Found in the wild, the variety is quite rare; wild Magaleb cherry is listed in the Red Book.
Main characteristics
The tree reaches a height of 10 meters, minimum 5-6 meters. The crown is dense, spreading, the branches are slightly drooping. It lends itself well to pruning and shaping, making cherries suitable for hedges.
They are very beautiful during flowering, which occurs at the end of May. They bloom magnificently, the color of the petals is white, the inflorescences are very fragrant.
The bark and seeds have a unique smell - it resembles bitter almonds. In Mediterranean cuisine, kernels from Antipka seeds are used to make a special spice. The aroma is well revealed in cherry liqueurs and tinctures.
In August, the fruits ripen - small, about 1 cm in diameter, dark burgundy, almost black. They are juicy and aromatic, but taste tart and bitter. The berries of this variety are rarely eaten fresh; they are usually used for canning and alcoholic beverages.
Features of cultivation
Magaleb cherry is unpretentious and grows in the wild even on rocky lands. It is easy to care for, but in order to get a good harvest and beautiful trees for decoration, it is worth creating acceptable conditions for the seedlings.
Like most cherries, the variety loves sunny places, but will also grow in partial shade. The place for seedlings should be protected from the wind. It is not recommended to plant Antipka in acidic soil. The trees tolerate dry summers well and respond positively to fertilizing and watering. It is better to choose calcareous, fertile soils and black soil for them.
Trees grow well in urban environments and do not suffer from air pollution. This property allows you to grow cherries in parks and along roadways. It is important for the gardener to remember that berries grown near a road with a large flow of cars must be washed thoroughly or not eaten at all. They absorb many harmful substances, even if the tree appears healthy on the outside.
The advantage of the variety is the ability to grow seedlings from seeds in an amateur garden. In October, the seeds are immersed in well-dug, loose soil to a depth of 4 cm. No preliminary preparation of the seeds is required.
In spring, the seeds produce numerous shoots. During spring, summer and autumn they need only moderate, timely watering. In the fall or next spring - depending on the planting density and growth rate - they are transplanted to permanent places for future cherries.
Magalebskaya Antipka trees are well suited for grafting less winter-hardy varieties of cherries and sweet cherries. Such varieties begin to bear fruit early and produce a bountiful harvest. You need to know that some cherries are incompatible with Antipka; in such cases, the grafted variety will grow noticeably worse.
Care Tips
Cherries of this variety do not require special care; they grow and bear fruit in the wild. Main rules:
- choose places with neutral soil acidity, sunny, windproof;
- water the seedlings moderately;
- Tree pruning is required for decorative purposes only.
Antipka's frost resistance is average; the variety tolerates winter well in the middle zone. If frosts stay below 25 degrees for a long time, young shoots freeze. The next summer the cherry blossoms worse. For the winter, cover the trunk from rodents and insulate the rhizome.
