Family Multi-Cherry Tree (Prunus avium) PAULA + SUNBURST

Family Multi-Cherry Tree (2 in 1): Paula + Sunburst

An outstanding combination of a vibrant yellow Latvian heart cherry and a Canadian heavy-yielding, self-fertile sweet cherry on a single trunk.

1. Cherry 'Paula' (Medium-early yellow sweet cherry)

A premium Latvian variety yielding attractive yellow fruits with a high antioxidant content, delicate sweet flavor, and good winter hardiness.

At the turn of June and July, the Latvian heart cherry 'Paula' ripens. It was bred in Dobele by Dr. Silvija Ruisa (a seedling of open-pollinated 'Krupnoplodnaja', registered in 2011). Its purely yellow skin provides a major advantage as it does not attract birds, naturally saving your harvest from starlings.

Key advantages of the variety:

• Naturally bird-proof: The bright yellow fruit color keeps birds and starlings from pillaging your harvest.
• Highly sweet and healthy: Boasts high natural sugar levels (16.5 °Brix) and is rich in healthy phenolic antioxidants (148.8 mg/100 g).
• Robust performance: Reliable winter hardiness in both wood and flower buds, along with good general disease resistance.

Fruit and Harvest

• Appearance: Medium to large heart-shaped fruits on a moderately long stem (approx. 40 mm). The creamy flesh is firm and juicy.
• Harvest period: Late June to early July.
• Note: During extremely rainy harvest periods, the fruit may exhibit a slight susceptibility to cracking. Outstanding for fresh eating and processing (e.g., natural sweetening of juices).

2. Cherry 'Sunburst' (Medium-early self-fertile sweet cherry)

A modern Canadian variety bearing gigantic, deep-red fruits with exceptional productivity and superb resistance to rain cracking.

Ripening in the very same period is the Canadian giant sweet cherry 'Sunburst' (a cross of 'Van' x 'Stella' from 1965). Considered an improved version of the famous 'Stella' variety, it is celebrated for its full self-fertility and for producing some of the largest cherries in the world.

Key advantages of the variety:

• 100% self-fertile: Requires no pollinator and serves as an excellent universal pollen donor for other varieties on the tree.
• Enormous fruit size: Commonly produces massive cherries (fruits weighing up to 22.5 g have been recorded).
• Excellent rain resistance: Shows high natural resistance to fruit cracking during wet, rainy spells.
• Suited for marginal climates: Heavy bloom density and self-fertility secure reliable cropping even in less-than-ideal growing regions.

Fruit and Harvest

• Appearance and taste: Gigantic, round fruits of a deep dark-red color. The flesh is tender and softer than standard bigarreau cherries, resulting in a delightfully sweet, mild, and low-acid dessert flavor.
• Harvest period: Late June to early July (very early entry into bearing in the 2nd to 4th year).
• Grower's tip: Mature trees have a tendency to overbear, which can reduce fruit size. Regular pruning is necessary to regulate yield and correct the weeping habit of heavily laden branches. Due to the softer flesh, the fruit is best suited for quick fresh eating and not for long transport.