North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[rmelrose@danvilleVT.net]

This year for the first time my `Erdi Jubileum' cherry -- which is on Colt
rootstock, from OneGreenWorld, and is still only about 7' tall although 5
years in the ground -- produced some cherries, meaning a cup or so. They
are wonderful! Definitely the fruit is closer to a sweet cherry than a sour
cherry in shape, texture and flavour. I would say they are on the tart end
of the scale for sweet cherries but very enjoyable to eat directly, much
sweeter than any sour cherries I have been able to grow here. The colour is
a little `unusual', I would describe them as brownish-purple and it would
be easy to be less polite. I let them ripen quite completely since I did
not realize they were there. Not much bird damage either, despite our
robins having been replaced this year by catbirds AND waxwings.

Of course this is an unusual year. The pressure from brown rot has been
fairly lower, so for instance `Early Richmond' produced a good crop with
not much damage (but not so great to eat). The `EJ' showed no leaf of fruit
damage from brown rot although a `Meteor' a few feet away was quite
seriously affected, most of its fruit is lost (which is quite usual). The
`EJ' has not shown any winter damage either, although in quite an open spot
-- but then we have not had a hard winter in the last five. It flowers
quite late.

Overall I am pretty pleased with this and will try to graft or get a few
more! Edible cherries at the end of June in Northern Vermont! Yippee.

Richard
Zone 4a.