FS 57 • Reprinted May 2003 $1.00 Sweet Cherry Varieties in Oregon R. L. Stebbins

Here are some terms and definitions pollen stigma used to describe pollination and fruit set pollen tube of sweet cherry varieties: style anther stamen Pollination. The transfer of pollen to filament petal the female stigma. Cross-pollination. The transfer of pollen from the anthers of a flower of one variety to the stigma of a flower of a sepal male germ different variety. female germ cell Fertilization. The union of the male cell germ cell, contained in the pollen tube, nectary enlarged anther with the female germ cell, or egg. ovary (becomes fruit) showing pollen grains Self-incompatible. A variety that is unable to set and mature a commercial crop of fruit with its own pollen. Figure 1.—Longitudinal section of a sweet cherry flower. Cross-compatible. The pollen produced by either variety of a combina- tion is capable of functioning in the and light yellow with a pink blush. Its The fruits of Black Republican are styles and fertilizing the ovules of the medium-long stem and moderately purplish-black and medium in size, other variety. pointed fruit shape are associated with ranging from 0.625 to 0.75 inch in Cross-incompatible. Varieties A and the highest quality cocktail-style cherry. diameter. It is rated as an inferior variety B are unfruitful when pollinated by each Being firm fleshed, it has superior quali- for canning and brining, but it has been other because the pollen, although it is ty in the brine; limited quantities are successfully marketed as a frozen viable, is unable to develop sufficiently commercially canned. It is more product. In dry, unirrigated orchards, the on this particular variety of stigma to susceptible to rain cracking than some fruit is often small and bitter flavored. effect fertilization. Either variety may be other varieties. Brown coloration from Corum has been an effective pollini- an effective pollinizer for some other bruising shows clearly on Royal Ann, zer over a period of years. Although it is varieties. especially in hot weather. in full bloom before Royal Ann, there is Pollinizer. The variety (plant, tree) The tree blooms and matures its fruit sufficient overlap of the bloom periods used as a source of pollen. in midseason. The tree tends to grow for effective pollination. Pollinator. The agent of pollen upright with little branching. Bada is cross-compatible with Bing, transfer, usually bees. Ann is highly susceptible to bacterial Royal Ann, and Lambert. Bada’s bloom canker and dead-bud, a disease caused period coincides more closely with Varieties in cold, rainy weather by the bacteria Ann’s than does Corum, so it is a better All sweet cherry varieties, except Pseudomonas syringae. It is somewhat pollinizer for Royal Ann than Corum. Stella and some Stella crosses, are self- less winter-hardy than Lambert. The full-bloom period of Van coin- incompatible and must be cross- Corum or Bada in the Willamette cides well with that of Royal Ann, and it pollinated for satisfactory yields. Royal Valley, and Black Republican or Van in is an excellent pollinizer for that variety. Ann (Napoleon), Bing, and Lambert are eastern Oregon, are the pollinizers now Although it is a black cherry suitable for cross-incompatible, as are some other most commonly used for Royal Ann. fresh shipping, its quality is inferior to combinations of varieties. However, all These varieties are cross-compatible that of Bing. The fruit set on mature Van varieties produce viable pollen. with Royal Ann. Most seedlings bloom trees is usually so heavy that the fruits too early to effect pollination. Black are smaller than Bing and Royal Ann. Royal Ann. Known in some states as Republican blooms before Royal Ann Napoleon, Royal Ann is the principal and in some years is in full bloom before Robert L. Stebbins, Extension horticul- variety grown for processing into the first 10 percent of the Royal Ann ture specialist emeritus, Oregon State maraschino cherries. The skin is thin bloom has opened. University. Since the tree is very susceptible to Because it is large and firm, it has been than Bing’s, and the fruit is distinctly bacterial canker, it is not suitable for the sold to a limited extent on the fresh heart-shaped and pointed. It is usually of Willamette Valley, but it is the principal market. Some growers pack it in the medium size but tends to be quite small pollinizer in eastern Oregon. field because it shows bruises so easily. with a heavy crop. It is susceptible to rain cracking but less so than Bing. It is Corum. Corum is a light-colored Bing. This large, black, firm-fleshed grown primarily in Union County, but cherry with a pronounced red blush. It variety is the highest quality fresh- because it often matures after rains have ripens 4 to 5 days before Royal Ann. shipping cherry grown anywhere in the ceased, it is also grown in limited quan- The stem is approximately the same U.S. It is grown extensively in the tities in western Oregon. The tree is length as Ann’s, but the fruit itself is not Dalles and Milton-Freewater districts for more winter-hardy than Royal Ann or pointed. The flesh is not quite as firm as shipping. It is nearly round, broader than Bing. It is susceptible to bacterial Ann’s. The tree is considerably less long, and uniform. Its dark red flesh is canker. susceptible to bacterial canker than Ann. firm, not very fibrous, juicy, sweet, and The most commonly grown pollini- It branches more freely and tends to very good in quality. The stone is zers for Lambert are Van and Sam. spread more and to bear at an earlier relatively small in comparison to the Black Republican and Van often bloom age. In recent years, it has proven to be size of the fruit. too early to be effective. Sam is one of much more susceptible to damage by Bing produces an excellent canned the better pollinizers for Lambert. The some viruses than Royal Ann and has product but is inferior for brining unless fruit is black and nearly as large as Bing therefore fallen in favor. It is not picked before fully ripe. It is very sus- and Lambert. It is rated low in brining recommended for eastern Oregon ceptible to rain cracking, so it is not quality because of its coarse texture. because Van is more marketable there. grown commercially west of the Cas- Although inferior to Lambert, it is satis- Bada. This variety (pronounced cades. It ripens 5 to 7 days after Royal factory for canning. Its peak bloom ba-dah) was introduced by the University Ann and about a week before Lambert. comes slightly before that of Lambert. It of California in 1964. The skin is cream- The tree is less winter-hardy than matures earlier than Lambert and tends colored with a red blush. It has excellent Lambert. It is susceptible to bacterial to be soft. quality as a brined cherry. It is similar to canker and dead-bud caused by Pseudo- Royal Ann in texture but is more resis- monas syringae. Lapins. This self-fertile variety from tant to bruising and to rain cracking. The Bing is cross-incompatible with British Columbia has demonstrated good stem is slightly longer and thicker than Royal Ann and Lambert. It is cross- resistance to rain cracking. Its large, Ann’s, but the fruit is indistinguishable compatible with Van, Chinook, Black firm fruit matures 2 days after Lambert. in appearance from Ann’s. Bada’s flesh Republican, Corum, and Bada. In some The tree is vigorous, upright, and spurry. is about as firm as that of Royal Ann. years, Black Republican blooms too early to be a completely effective pol- Bada ripens a few days earlier than Ann. Number and placement of pollinizers The tree is not very vigorous; at matu- linizer for Bing. The full-bloom period rity it is only 50 to 60 percent as large as of Van coincides well with that of Bing, The number and placement of Royal Ann. It bears early, heavily, and and it is an excellent pollinizer for that pollinizers required for the most consistently. The tree is more resistant variety. Its fruit can be sold fresh or for effective pollination is largely deter- to bacterial canker than Ann and is canning. Although both Bada and mined by the foraging habits of the equally cold-hardy. Corum are good pollinizers for Bing, honeybees that carry the pollen. Wind Bada is a superior variety to Corum. plays little or no part in sweet cherry Rainier. The fruit of Rainier is white Chinook was introduced as a black- pollination. with a red blush. It has a relatively short fruited pollinizer for Bing that could be A system where every third tree in stem and a flat apical end, unlike Royal shipped fresh. It has been removed from every third row is a pollinizer places a Ann. When canned, the fruit is solid orchards because of its relatively soft pollinizer next to every tree of the main yellow. In some years, pits crumble or flesh and serious rain cracking. variety at least on the diagonal and crack with the slightest pressure. This allows for a minimum number of defect appears only rarely but is so Lambert. In Oregon, Lambert is pollinizers. serious it should be considered a major grown primarily as a late-maturing black Do not graft pollinizers into the limbs drawback to this variety as a brining variety for freezing and shipping. Its of the main variety. (The varieties cherry. Rainier has a pronounced firm, black flesh has a superb flavor frequently are mixed during harvest, tendency to crack in rainy weather. when fully mature. The stem is longer especially under mechanical harvesting.)

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Oregon State University Extension Service is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Reprinted May 2003