Is a cherry tree or a bush? Fruit of a cherry (photo)

Among a large number of diverse plants growing in gardens and parks, one of the most famous is cherry. A tree that has been known to many since childhood and growing on the territories of three continents.

Cherry - a tree or shrub whose height of branches can be from 2 to 7 meters. Flowers are painted in a white or pink tone and collected in semi-zonotics or 1-2 in a bundle. The fruit of the cherry-shaped cherry in the mature stage acquires various shades of red, from light to brownish-dark. Fruits - juicy drupes, edible, have mainly sweet and sour taste. The leaves of the green color have an oblong-oval shape. When the flowers bloom pleasantly fragrant.

Cherry is a tree or shrub that belongs to the Roses family. This deciduous species of plants, therefore, for decorative purposes only applies as a spring accent. A lot of varieties and hybrids are brought up, the height of which does not reach 1.5-2 meters, with beautiful flowers, sometimes velvety, and a pleasant aroma. A cherry, a tree or a bush grows quickly and due to the density of flowering and decorative is often used in landscape design of gardens. In nature multiplies by root shoots, seeds. In a cultural form, it can be propagated only through vaccination.

Kinds of cherries

In the genus of cherries there are about 150 different species that are common in the territories of Europe, Asia and North America. Basically, these are home-grown cultivars, which are bred by breeders. In nature there is also a wild cherry, species and varieties of which there are many.

Cherry Ordinary

It is a cultivated species of cherry, a tall tree with a wide crown and spreading branches. His bark is shiny dark. Leaves oblong-oval, pointed at the ends, dark green on top and slightly lighter on the underside. Flowers are located on long peduncles and in diameter can reach up to 2.5 cm. In this type of cherry petals are painted in a white tone and have a pleasant fragrant smell. The flowering period lasts about 3 weeks. The fruit of the cherry is of a normal round shape and has an acid-sweet taste. This species is very common in the territories of Russia and some European countries. This is due to the fact that Cherry Ordinary is very unpretentious in care, frost-resistant, grows well in the penumbra and well tolerates arid summer. It has many hybrids, which are often used for decorative purposes.

Cherry steppe

Steppe cherry perfectly tolerates frosty winters, in connection with this, it is most often found in the north of Russia and in the mountainous areas. This kind of cherry tree is a tree or a shrub that is too short, which branches strongly and creates a large crown. On the upright branches there are small-sized leaves of dark green color, shiny. Their form is oblong-oval, at the end it is pointed. Roots grow 3 meters from the tree and are shallow in the ground. The flowers of this type of cherry are small and collected 2-5 pieces per bundle on the branches, painted in a white tone. Fruits are small, juicy, tastes sourish, may be red, pink and burgundy. The period of full ripening comes to the end of summer or the beginning of autumn.

Cherry felt

Felt cherry is a tree or shrub that has a large sprawling crown with a slight growth, about 1-3 meters. The native land of this species is China, therefore the second name is Chinese cherry. It can be used both for decorative purposes and as a fruit tree. The flowers are densely and beautifully located on the branches. The advantage of it - in early flowering, it also decorates the gardens, which are still with bare branches. Leaves are small, oval in shape, with notches. On the underside, they are pubescent, this creates the effect of velvety of the entire tree. The branches are thick with a rough bark, have a gray-brown hue. Flowers are small, pinkish-white in color. Felt cherry, tree or shrub, well tolerates not only winter frosts, but spring colds. The fruit of the cherry is small in size, from red to almost black, sweet, juicy. The stone is small and does not separate from the berry. After ripening, the fruits of a felt cherry can stay on the branches for a long time, without losing their properties.

Sakura, or Japanese cherry

Japanese cherry, or sakura, is a decorative tree more than a fruit tree . Her homeland is Japan, where in all regions different varieties of cherries grow . Every year, local residents celebrate the arrival of spring with the beginning of the cherry blossom. The tree grows to a height of 4 meters, its crown is spreading, umbrella-shaped, and can also be up to 4 meters wide. The branches are long, flowing. The leaves are narrow, ovoid in shape, pointed at the ends. In summer they are painted in a bright green color, and by autumn they turn yellow. Flowers are small pink, each of them is located on the petiole. The flowering period is the middle and end of spring.

Sand Cherry

The homeland of sandy cherry is North America. Just like the Japanese, it is used to decorate gardens and parks. Sandy cherry is a shrub whose height reaches only 1.5 meters. Its crown is wide, branches are spreading, dense, reddish. Leaves oval, oblong and pointed at the tip. In summer they have a dark green color, and by autumn they are painted in bright red, which gives the cherry bush a special charm. The flowers are small, up to 1.5 cm in diameter, blossoming in late spring. The petals are white, and the fruits are dark, almost black.

Pruning of cherries

Cherry requires annual pruning to rejuvenate trees and bushes and remove diseased and withered branches. If there was a question about whether cherry is a tree or a bush, you can answer simply: what kind and type do you choose, this kind of plant will please you every year with its flowering and fruits.

Pruning of bush cherries

Branches of bush cherries have properties to grow much, therefore it is necessary to cut them annually. This is done with knowledge of the case, since cherry is worse than other trees and bushes reacts to pruning. This process is carried out the next year after planting. Period should be chosen when the bush is still in a winter sleep. This may be the end of February or the beginning of March.

When pruning it is recommended to leave the bole 30-50 cm from the ground. In the first year of pruning leave 5-7 strong branches, which are at a distance from each other and directed in different directions. In the second year of pruning, cut out all the branches that are directed to the center of the bush. During the spring-summer period, green shoots will appear on the stem, which must be cut off immediately. If the bush is started, then such shoots are removed already during the spring pruning of the bush.

With an annual pruning, a bush is formed and the branches that grow inside are formed, so that the bush is not very thick. Also, dried up and lost shoots are removed, and instead young ones are left to replace. In the bush cherry often there is a root shoot, which should be removed, trimming slightly below the ground level. If this is done above, then a new bush will be formed from such a growth, and shoots will begin to branch.

Trimming a tree

Pruning of cherries, like all trees, takes place during the rest period. This is the end of winter or the beginning of spring. This process is tied to the weather conditions in the region where cherries grow. When pruning trees, dry, weak and diseased branches are removed, and the cuts are machined. It is also possible to remove large main branches with a saw if disease is detected. In this way, you can save the whole tree by deleting a bad branch.

Care and reproduction

Cherry is a tree or shrub that does not require special knowledge or specific care. Timely pruning, fertilizing, watering - this is practically all the procedures necessary for the good development and growth of cherries.

Care

Cherry in the garden prefers to grow in a bright place, where the sun warms well. The soil must be fertile and it is good to let the moisture in, the stagnation of water affects the life of the whole tree badly. Also, the land should be neutral and fertile, in other types of soil, cherries grow much worse and bear fruit.

For the second year of the life of the tree it must be fed in spring with mineral fertilizers. If the soil is empty, then it is necessary to make humus.

A cherry, a bush or a tree, perfectly tolerates a drought, that's why it should be watered moderately, and after the beginning of fruit ripening, watering or removing.

All types of cherries, which grow in the form of trees, every year in the spring period must be covered with lime at 50-70 cm from the ground. This protects plants from pests and various infections.

Reproduction

Spring is the best time to plant cherry seedlings. But since vegetation in this plant species begins very early, it is necessary to make the purchase in the autumn, after the fall of the foliage, and the seedling to dig at the site.

For planting, it is necessary to dig a pit with a diameter of approximately 40 cm and a depth of about 50-60 cm. If necessary, it is widened to such an extent that the roots of the seedlings are free in it and do not rest against the walls. Part of the earth is mixed with humus and nitrogen fertilizer and fall asleep on the bottom of the pit. Seedling is planted from above and covered with earth, after it is flooded with water. At the same time, it is necessary to make sure that the young tree does not go deeper, and the root neck remained 1-2 cm above the ground. It is also recommended to mulch the young seedling for additional moisture retention.

Varieties of cherries that grow bush, it is necessary to plant at a distance of 2-2.5 meters from each other, so that the branches are not intertwined with each other and do not interfere with others. Tree-like varieties that have a large sprawling crown are planted at a distance of 3-3.5 meters. For trees it is desirable to leave a lot of space so that they do not shade each other.

Reproduction of cherries occurs with the help of root offspring and cuttings, but such seedlings must be planted to produce a variety. Without this, a wild cherry grows from the tree. But this rule applies only to previously grafted plants. Root offsprings of varietal cherries give beautiful seedlings, from which good fruit-bearing trees are obtained.

Useful properties and application

Cherry (trees and shrubs of any kind) has many useful properties and qualities not only in fruits, but also in branches, foliage and even in the petioles of berries.

Cherry fruits improve appetite and have a dietary quality, and their syrup is often used in pharmaceuticals. It is also useful to eat berries with reduced hemoglobin. They contain substances that contribute to the normalization of blood clotting.

For treatment, juice of a tree is used, which is called cherry glue. It contains such useful substances as sugar of pentose, galactose, arabinose. Cherry glue envelops the walls of the stomach and helps with inflammation of its mucosa.

Cherry is often used in folk medicine, for example, the root of a tree is used to treat an ulcer. The fruit pulp and juice are used as an antiseptic. And if the juice is mixed with milk, then it is possible to treat inflammation of the joints.

Also often used is a decoction from the stems with swollen and diarrhea. This recipe is known in almost every family.

Application in the household

Cherry berries are eaten raw. They make tinctures, prepare compotes and jams, add to pastries. Such berry trees can be found in almost every garden in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. Cherry is a tree or shrub whose photo can be easily found in any botanical book, and also look in this article.