In various reference books there is a description of cherries or bird cherries. Part of the discrepancy in terminology is explained by the fact that this plant has several varieties. This cherry is considered one of the oldest cultivated by humans. Sweet cherries grow in the southern regions of Russia, but are also found in the wild in northern latitudes. Berries contain many beneficial microelements, including fructose and glucose.
Origin story
Bird cherry is a wild crop.Excavations have shown that this plant was used in ancient times. The first mention of cherries dates back to the 4th century BC. Over time, breeders transported the tree from Kerasunt (considered the birthplace of the culture) to the territory of the Roman Empire.
In the Middle Ages, researchers divided cherries into separate subspecies. The first group included trees with sweet fruits, the second - those with sour ones. Currently, in English-speaking countries such a gradation is still preserved. In this case, this variety is called Caesar.
Botanical description
Bird cherry, on average, grows up to 15 meters in length, although cases have been recorded when the trunk, together with the crown, reached 30 meters. The culture is characterized by rapid development. The tree is characterized by the following features:
- straight trunk;
- light crown;
- there are more than three leaves on the branches;
- ovoid (less often cone-shaped) crown.
In the first years after planting, the bark of young cherry trees is brown, red or silver. In rare cases, the trunk peels off as the plant matures.
The roots of most cherries grow mainly deep, but sometimes they are capable of forming large and branched systems.
There are two types of cherry shoots:
- shortened ones, on which fruits are formed;
- elongated, ensuring tree growth.
The leaves are up to 16 centimeters long and have different shapes (pointed, epileptic and others). White cherry flowers are bisexual (the plant is self-pollinating), appearing long before the buds open. Bird cherry reproduces by seed, stump shoots or through the root system. In the wild, the first option is common.
Economic importance and application
Bird cherry is grown on private plots, mainly for its fruits. The plant is also used in bee breeding to produce honey in early spring. From one hectare of plantings you can get up to 35 kilograms of this product.
Cherry fruits
Bird cherries have fleshy fruits with a large pit in the middle. The berries are oval or spherical in shape. The color of the fruit varies from light yellow to dark shades. In crops grown on private plots, the berries reach 2 centimeters in diameter. The plant produces a harvest by the end of May or June.
Reproduction
Reproduction is carried out using seeds or grafting. The first option is suitable for planting a wild tree. This plant is then used as a scion to produce cultivated cherries.
Diseases and pests
Bird cherry suffers from the following pests:
- Coccomycosis. It mainly affects leaves, causing the appearance of red-brown spots.
- Gray rot (moniliosis). Causes rapid drying of flowers and rotting of berries.
- Hole spot (clusterosporiasis). It affects the plant at any stage of development. Because of the pest, brown spots form on the leaves and the fruits die.
To avoid infection of cherries, it is recommended, after flowering and 2 weeks before harvest, to treat the tree with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture or other fungicidal compounds.
