听
Prunus cerasus听(sour听,听tart cherry, or听dwarf cherry) is a species of听听in the subgenus听听(), native to much of听,听听and听. It is closely related to the sweet cherry (), but has a听听that is more听. Its sour pulp is edible.
The tree is smaller than the sweet cherry (growing to a height of 4鈥�10 m), has twiggy branches, and its crimson-to-near-black cherries are borne upon shorter stalks. There are two main varieties (groups of听) of the听sour cherry: the dark-red听Morello cherry听and the lighter-red听Amarelle cherry.
Origins and cultivation
Prunus cerasus, a听听with 2n=32 chromosomes, is thought to have originated as a natural hybrid between听听and听听in the听听or Eastern Europe where the two species come into contact.听听is believed to have provided its smaller size and sour tasting fruit. The hybrids then stabilized and interbred to form a new, distinct species.
Cultivated sour cherries were selected from wild specimens of听Prunus cerasus听and the doubtfully distinct听P. acida听from around the听听and听, and were known to the听听in 300 BC. They were also extremely popular with听听and the听听who introduced them into听听long before the 1st century AD[]听The fruit remains popular in modern-day听.
In England, their cultivation was popularized in the 16th century in the time of听. They became a popular crop amongst Kentish growers, and by 1640 over two dozen named听听were recorded.
Before the 听there were more than fifty cultivars of sour cherry in cultivation in England; today, however, few are grown commercially, and despite the continuation of named cultivars such as 'Kentish Red', 'Amarelles', 'Griottes' and 'Flemish', only the generic Morello is offered by most nurseries. This is a late-flowering variety, and thus misses more frosts than its sweet counterpart and is therefore a more reliable cropper. The Morello cherry ripens in mid to late summer, toward the end of August in southern England. It is self-fertile, and would be a good听听for other varieties if it did not flower so late in the season.
Sour cherries require similar cultivation conditions to , that is, they prefer a rich, well-drained, moist听, although they demand more听听and听听than sweet cherries. Trees will do badly if waterlogged, but have greater tolerance of poor drainage than sweet varieties. As with sweet cherries, Morellos are traditionally cultivated by budding onto strong growing rootstocks, which produce trees too large for most gardens, although newer dwarfing rootstocks such as听Colt听and听Gisella听are now available. During spring, flowers should be protected, and trees weeded, mulched and sprayed with natural seaweed solution. This is also the time when any required听听should be carried out (note that cherries should not be pruned during the dormant winter months). Morello cherry trees fruit on younger wood than sweet varieties, and thus can be pruned harder. They are usually grown as standards, but can be fan trained, cropping well even on cold walls, or grown as low bushes.
Sour cherries suffer fewer pests and diseases than sweet cherries, although they are prone to heavy fruit losses from . In summer, fruit should be protected with netting. When harvesting fruit, they should be cut from the tree rather than risking damage by pulling the stalks.
Unlike most sweet cherry varieties, sour cherries are听听or self听听(sometimes inaccurately referred to as听). Two implications of this are that seeds generally run true to the cultivar, and that much smaller听听populations are needed because听听only has to be moved within individual flowers. In areas where pollinators are scarce, growers find that听听in orchards improves yields.
Uses
Culinary
Dried sour cherries are used in cooking including听,听听dishes,听,听, and听. Also used to make a jam/fruit spread.
Sour cherries are particularly popular in听, especially in the form of听vi艧ne suyu听(sour cherry nectar), a widely-consumed beverage, and听vi艧ne re莽eli听(sour cherry jam), often eaten as part of a traditional听听(Turkish breakfast) or mixed into plain听.
Sour cherries or sour cherry听听are used in听听and听, such as the Romanian听听or the Portuguese听. In听,听,听听and听, sour cherries are prized for making听听by slowly boiling pitted sour cherries and sugar; the syrup thereof is used for听sharbat-e Albalou,听vi艧ne 艧urubu听or听vyssin谩da, a beverage made by diluting the syrup with ice-cold water. A particular use of sour cherries is in the production of听, a cherry-flavored variety of a naturally听听听made in Belgium.听In Germany and Austria sour cherries are often used for desserts such as the听.