EBONYPEARL sweet cherry SEMI-DWARF (GISELA 12)

🍒 EbonyPearl™ Cherry Tree (Prunus NY32)

🌸 Origin and type

• Trade name: EbonyPearl™
• Species: Prunus avium (sweet cherry)
• Origin: Cornell University, New York, United States
• Year introduced: Not specified
• Type: Hybrid cherry tree, premium variety

🌳 Tree characteristics

• Growth habit: Spread out, vigorous
• Mature height: Approximately 14 to 18 feet
• Hardiness: Suitable for moderate climates
• Exposure: Full sun
• Soil: Well-drained, fertile
• Growth: Medium to fast, bears fruit after 3 to 4 years

🍒 Fruit

• Shape: Round, slightly flattened
• Size: Large (approximately 9.5 rows, 11.6 g)
• Skin: Dark red, almost black
• Flesh: Yellow, firm, juicy
• Flavor: Very sweet, excellent taste
• Stone: Semi-adherent
• Harvest: Mid-season (around May 20 to June 5)
• Use: Fresh, jams, pastries
• Storage: 1 to 2 weeks in the refrigerator

🌼 Flowering and pollination

• Flowering: Mid-season (April to early May)
• Pollination: Self-sterile (genotype S1S4)
• Compatible pollinators:
  • Lapins™
  • Stella™
  • Bing™
  • Rainier™
  • Black Tartarian™
  • Van™
• Planting distance: 3 to 4 m between trees for optimal pollination

🛠️ Cultivation and care

• Planting: Fall or early spring
• Watering: Regular, especially in the first few years
• Pruning: Winter pruning to aerate the branches and promote light
• Thinning: Recommended if the tree bears a lot of fruit
• Diseases: Good resistance to common diseases, especially canker

🍽️ Uses

• Fresh fruit for eating
• Jams, compotes, pastries
• Less suitable for drying or freezing

💡 Advantages

✅ Very sweet, excellent taste
✅ Good resistance to cracking (only 4% cracking during one inch of rain)
✅ Mid-season flowering, ideal for extending the harvest period
✅ Vigorous and spreading growth habit, suitable for commercial orchards

⚠️ Points to watch

• Flowering sensitive to late spring frosts
• Fruits are fragile, requiring careful harvesting
• Prefer a sheltered location to avoid wind damage