Merton Premier

Merton Premier or Merton 418 is a dark variety of sweet cherries belonging to the heart cherries .

origin

The variety was the John Innes Institute in Norwich from the varieties Large Princess and Bedford Prolific crossed out and put on the market 1947th It is named after the London borough of Merton Park .

fruit

The fruit is medium-sized, evenly heart-shaped. The soft skin is dark purple-red when fully ripe, light dashed in half-ripe and slightly unevenly colored. The soft flesh is medium red, moderately aromatic, tasty when fully ripe. It is very resistant to bursting. The stone is small, looks triangular. The stem is medium-long, about 4 cm and green, the reddened stem is large. It ripens in the 3rd to 4th cherry week , with a long harvest window .

tree

The tree grows medium-strong, with diagonally upright leading branches. The crown is evenly round. It is self-sterile and needs a fertilization partner. It flowers mid-early to medium with few, slightly reddish leaves. The flowers are very fragrant. He is a robust mass carrier.

literature

• Annette Braun-Lüllemann and Hans-Joachim Bannier Old sweet cherry varieties (fruit variety plant): Genetic diversity in the cherry-growing areas of Hagen am Teutoburg Forest and Witzenhausen. Verlag des Pomologen-Verein, Detmold 2010, ISBN 978-3-943198-05-8 .