Sweet Cherry (Prunus avium) JURGITA

Sweet Cherry (Prunus avium) 'Jurgita'

A low-maintenance Lithuanian variety with high yield and excellent flavour.

'Jurgita' is a low-maintenance and reliable Lithuanian sweet cherry variety, valued for its high and annual yield, good resistance, and the excellent sweet flavour of its large, dark fruits. Thanks to its low demands on soil and location, it is a suitable choice for a wide range of growers.

Main advantages of the variety:

• High and annual yield.
• Excellent sweet flavour with a delicate aroma.
• Low demands on site and soil.
• Good frost and disease resistance.
• Large, attractive fruits.

Origin and Registration

• Country of origin: Lithuania
• Breeder: A. Lukoševičius
• Institution: Lithuanian Institute of Horticulture
• Crossing: ‘Hedelfingen’ × ‘Dniprovka’
• Registration: Information not available.

Variety Characteristics

Tree

• Growth: Vigorous.
• Crown: Broad, pyramidal, medium density.
• Pollination: It is cross-pollinated.

Fruit

• Size and weight: Large, with a weight of 6 – 6.5 g.
• Shape and colour: Broadly heart-shaped, dark red to almost black.
• Flesh: Dark red, semi-firm, moderately juicy.
• Flavour: Excellent, sweet, with a delicate aroma.
• Stone: Medium-sized, easily separable from the flesh.
• Use: Versatile (fresh consumption, processing – especially for compotes, freezing).

Resistance and Requirements

• Frost resistance: Good.
• Disease resistance: Resistant.
• Requirements: Low demands on site and soil.

Cultivation Recommendations

• To ensure a harvest, it is essential to plant another cherry variety nearby as a pollinator.

Harvest and Storage

• Harvest time: Mid-early (first half of July).
• Harvest characteristics: Ripens simultaneously. Dry scar.
• Yield: High and annual.
• Entry into bearing: 4th to 5th year after planting.
• Transportability and storability: Good transportability, lasts 7–10 days after harvest.