6 Reasons To Grow Felt Cherries

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

At the end of the 20th century, felt cherry became popular in Russia; it is especially loved by summer residents. Get to know the virtues of this plant, and you will want to plant a felt cherry in your area

Characteristics of Felt Cherry

A shrub, 1.5-2.5 m high with strongly corrugated, pubescent leaves, is a type of small-fruited cherry (micro cherry), although it belongs to the genus Plum and belongs to the Pink family. It grows with several trunks, can reach a height of 3 m. Young shoots, due to strong pubescence, have a velvety appearance, similar to felt.

In spring, the branches are abundantly covered with white flowers. In the middle of summer, the fruits ripen, they are smaller than those of ordinary cherries, but very sweet (8-10% of sugars). Fruit weight depends on the variety and is 0, 6-4, 5 g, color from bright pink to almost black, rarely white. The bone is small and does not separate.

Felt cherry begins to bear fruit in the second or third year after planting. It grows in one place for 15-20 years and bears fruit annually (up to 15 kg per bush). Can be crossed with plum, apricot, cherry plum. It differs from the common cherry genetically and does not cross.

Today, more than 20 varieties of felt cherries have been bred. They differ in the size and color of the fruit, among them are dark burgundy and white. I will name the most popular ones:

• Children's room;

• Princess;

• Summer;

• White;

• Natalie;

• Khabarovsk;

• Delight;

• Alice;

• Damanka;

• Anniversary;

• Fairy tale, etc.

Why you need to plant a felt cherry

Consider the advantages and reasons for growing felt cherries in personal plots.

Reason 1. Taste

Felt cherry berries are juicy, aromatic, sweet, with a slight sourness. They are eaten fresh, juice, jam, fruit drink are made from them, compote is boiled. Used for making wine, tinctures, marmalade, marshmallow, jam.

Reason 2. Healing properties

The berries contain a lot of fructose and glucose (8-10%), in small quantities, there are malic, linoleic and citric acids (0, 3-1, 3%). The fruits are rich in antioxidants, active polyphenols that help strengthen the capillaries. Vitamin "C" in the range of 15-32 mg / 100g, fiber - 8-15%. Pectins and tannins are present.

Felt cherry improves immunity, stimulates metabolic processes, improves digestion, tones up the nervous system, stabilizes the heart, normalizes blood pressure, blocks inflammation, helps in the treatment of gout, arthritis, multiple sclerosis.

Reason 3. High decorativeness

The dense, compact shrub looks attractive throughout the warm season. In May, the shoots are densely covered with white-pink flowers (2.5 cm). In July, the berries begin to ripen, they are located on short stalks and densely cover the branches. During this period, the bush is decorated with a scattering of scarlet cherries. If they are not collected, they will not fall off until winter. Felt cherries are planted along fences, used to delimit zones on the site.

Reason 4. Stable fruiting

The bush begins to bear fruit for 2-3 years, with regular pruning and proper care, it yields for 15 years. 3-4 kg are harvested from a five-year-old seedling, from an adult plant, up to 15. Strong stalks exclude shedding, fruits can remain until spring, so there is no need to rush to collect. After natural drying on the bush, the berry is used for compotes and tinctures.

Reason 5. Unpretentiousness

Felt cherry does not require special care, tolerates drought and frost (up to -40). Refers to light-loving crops, although it grows well in the shade (fruiting decreases). Propagated by shoots, cuttings, grown from a stone, less often by layering. Poorly tolerates swampy lowlands.

Felt cherry is not affected by pests, it is resistant to coccomycosis, from which all stone fruit crops suffer. May grow wild in temperate climates.

Reason 6. Easy berry picking

Low bushes allow harvesting without stepladders and ladders. The berries are close together, like sea buckthorn. It is enough to substitute the bucket and get to work. During harvesting, the fruits are removed easily, do not choke with your hands.

Felt cherry growing in the country, pleases with stable yields, is a source of useful berries, does not require maintenance, and decorates the territory.