A Review of the 8 Best Cherry Varieties for the Urals

What varieties are suitable?

Not all cherry trees are suitable for the Urals, so choosing varieties here requires careful consideration. This is because this region has unfavorable conditions for planting and nurturing fruit tree seedlings. Here, as in Siberia, the climate has the following characteristics:

• cold winters;
• short summer;
• spring and autumn frosts.

Therefore, early-bearing and frost-hardy varieties that produce a high yield are ideal here. It's also desirable for the tree to be disease-resistant. Breeders are constantly developing new varieties with specific characteristics. Therefore, the best cherry varieties suitable for growing in the Urals are frequently expanded with new members. Provide these trees with comprehensive care and attention, and they will reward you with delicious fruit, even in these harsh regions.

Alatyrskaya

A fairly common variety in Siberia and the Urals. Its homeland is the city of Alatyr, which gives this variety its name. The tree has the following characteristics:

• compactness. Reaches 2.5–3 m in height;
• average yield (about 5 kg);
• regular fruiting (if there was proper care in terms of protection from frost);

Alatyrskaya ripens late. The berries can be picked in the second ten days of August. They are almost black in color. The flesh is juicy and fleshy.

Gridnevskaya

It was imported from the Samara region. The variety description contains the following characteristics:

• excellent yield;
• good resistance to low temperatures;
• self-sterility. Therefore, pollinators should be planted near the seedlings;

The tree forms a wide, densely foliated crown of large size. Therefore, the variety produces a good harvest only with regular pruning. The harvest ripens in the second half of August. The fruits are dark red. The flesh is very juicy and tasty.

Zagrebinskaya

The Zagrebinskaya cherry tree is well suited for cultivation in the Urals and Siberia. This variety has a spreading, sparse crown. Its shoots can reach heights of up to two meters. A distinctive characteristic of this variety is its late flowering.

Therefore, the berries can be picked from mid-August. The yield per tree is 6 kg. The fruits have a pleasant sweet-tart flavor and very juicy flesh. This self-sterile plant requires pollinators. Alatyrskaya is an excellent pollinator for Zagrebinskaya.

Lighthouse

This is a low-growing variety with a crown formed by spreading branches. It was bred in Yekaterinburg. With proper care, a single plant can yield up to 15 kg of berries. The fruits ripen in July. They are sweet and large. The average weight is about 6 g. The skin is red and cracks characteristically. The fruit characteristics of this variety are similar to those of the sweet cherry.

Mayak has good frost resistance. However, it tends to become dense and overgrown. Therefore, it is necessary to periodically remove suckers and trim excess branches. However, one-year-old shoots should not be pruned. Mayak is partially self-fertile. Therefore, it will yield better results if planted with pollinators. Its obvious drawbacks include poor immunity to coccomycosis.

Michurin's vole

The most beloved variety among Ural gardeners is the Michurin's Field Vole. It is popular due to its good cold tolerance and low maintenance requirements. It is an early-ripening cherry variety. Due to its self-sterility, it requires a pollinator. Standard Urala and Shchedryaya can be used as pollinators.

Since the tree is prone to thickening, pruning is a necessary element of care.

The Michurin's vole bears fruit in early August. Its fruits are a bright cherry color. The flavor is sweet, with a subtle tartness.

Sverdlovsk resident

Another popular Ural variety is Sverdlovchanka. Like Michurin's Polevka, it was bred from Ideal. The trees are bush-like and can grow to a height of 2 meters. Due to its dense crown, this variety requires periodic thinning.

Cherries begin bearing fruit around the 20th of August. With proper care, a single tree can yield up to 10–15 kg of berries. The fruits are fleshy, covered with a dark red skin. They have a sweet, slightly tart flavor. This Ural cherry is also self-sterile. Michurin's field vole and Shchedrya can be used as pollinators.

Ural Standard

The Standard Urala cherry variety is very popular among regional gardeners. The tree forms a broad crown at a height of 2 meters. It doesn't require regular thinning, as its shoots grow at a moderate rate. It is considered an early variety, with fruiting beginning in late July.

This variety is renowned for its high winter hardiness and excellent yield. A single tree can yield approximately 13–15 kg of fruit. The fruits are large (averaging about 6.5 g). The flesh is delicate, pink, and quite juicy. The skin is scarlet. The berries remain fresh for a long time after ripening.

Generous

The Shchedraya variety is often grown in gardens in the Urals and Siberia. This two-meter-tall tree has a sparse crown. Broken and dead branches must be regularly pruned.

The berries have an excellent flavor. Their skin is dark red. The average weight is about 4 grams. The pulp separates very easily from the pit. The fruit's appearance, thanks to its rich color and shiny skin, is very beautiful. It's worth noting that when ripe, the fruits do not fall off, but remain attached to the branches. They are also resistant to cracking.

The harvest begins in mid-August. A single tree, with comprehensive and thorough care, produces up to 9 kg of berries. Furthermore, adherence to all agricultural practices allows for consistent fruiting even in areas with harsh climates.

Generous is self-fertile. Therefore, good fruiting can be expected when grown in close proximity to seedlings of pollinator varieties. Varieties such as Michurin's Field Vole and Mayak have proven themselves to be excellent.

The advantages of this variety include the following points:

• ease of care;
• high yield;
• Excellent cold resistance. The tree tolerates cold well, not freezing even in severe frosts;
• drought resistance;
• compactness.

The disadvantages include the need for frequent pruning.

Above, we presented cherry varieties for the Urals and Siberia, recognized by many experts as the best. When growing any cherry variety for the Urals, it's important to consider the species' characteristics and care requirements. This will ensure the tree produces truly abundant and high-quality fruit.

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