- Barrel type: wood
- Growth type: medium-sized
- Crown: thick, conical
- Leaves: dark green
- Flowers: medium size
- Fruit size: average
- Fruit shape: rounded
- Fruit color: dark red
- Fruit weight, g: 7
- Pulp color : Dark red
The Korolev variety is a very interesting variety of columnar cherries, bred by Dutch specialists not so long ago. Manufacturers claim that such a tree can be grown not only in a garden or on a plot, but also by planting it in a flowerpot or container. Thus, it can decorate a winter garden or balcony. The Queen fell in love with gardeners due to frost resistance, good immunity, decent yield, tasty fruits, pickiness and, of course, beauty.
Description of the variety
The Queen is considered one of the tallest varieties among columnar cherries. Usually its height reaches 2.5 m, but if the growing conditions are good, it grows up to a three-meter mark (some sources mention an indicator of 5 m). This is also a disadvantage, as the height means difficulties in care and harvesting. At the same time, the crown remains compact, not exceeding a diameter of 80 centimeters. On the positive side, the colorful bloom can be noted, while the cherry flowers exude a very rich and pleasant aroma that can spread over long distances.
Fruit characteristics
The Queen's cherries are medium, reaching 7 grams in weight. Both the skin and the flesh are bright crimson. The drupes are well separated from the peduncle, without damage. The bone can also be removed without problems.
Taste qualities
The taste is noted as sweet, there is a slight sourness. The dense, juicy and aromatic pulp allows the product to be used for a variety of culinary purposes.
Ripening and fruiting
The queen is a late-ripening culture. The fruits begin to ripen at the end of July, more precisely, after the 20th, and this all lasts until August 10. Cherry begins to bear fruit in the second or third year after planting. The life cycle of a culture is 15 years.
Yield
On average, 15-20 kg of fruits are removed from each tree-column of the Korolev variety.
Growing regions
Koroleva is a columnar cherry variety that does very well in the Moscow region, as well as in different regions of Belarus.
Landing
To plant a variety, you need to choose a sunny and warm place that will be well protected in winter from cold winds and drafts. Groundwater flooding is also undesirable. The culture is light-requiring, but it can endure a light shade. The cherry-column has a shallow root system, lies at a depth of 10 cm, so it is not recommended to dig up the soil around the trunk.
If you plan to plant a cherry orchard, the minimum step between the trees of the variety should be 1-1.5 m so that the roots of each specimen develop freely. The composition of the earth will also be of great importance. The ideal option for the growth of Korolev's columnar cherry is a fertile, loose and nutritious soil. If the available soil mixture is depleted, humus and superphosphate should be used to prepare the planting hole, mixing them with earth.The size of the landing pit is as follows: 40-45 cm deep and 50-60 cm in diameter.
Growing and care
At first, the variety in question does not particularly need either pruning or some kind of difficult care. It is only important to take into account the peculiarities of watering, dressing. Columnar cherry varieties do not react well to excessive moisture in the soil, especially the roots, so they need to be irrigated correctly.
A couple of years after planting, the tree is irrigated every two weeks, using 3 to 5 liters of water per plant. Older trees need 4-5 irrigation measures per growing season. But in any case, weather conditions are taken into account, as well as the presence of precipitation. After the liquid is finally absorbed into the soil, loosening is carried out, weeds are removed so that an earth crust does not form. Without this procedure, the roots will not receive the required amount of oxygen, the growth of the culture will slow down.
In the fall, the Korolev tree-column is prepared for winter. There are several must-have activities for this. First of all, this is the treatment of the trunks with a lime solution to protect the cherries from frost and pests. Plentiful water-charging watering and mulching are done before winter. The trunk is insulated with burlap or agrofiber.