Cherry tree named ‘Glensweet I’

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cherry tree, Prunus avium, and more particularly to a new and distinct variety broadly characterized by a medium size, vigorous, hardy, self-unfruitful, and productive tree. The fruit matures under the ecological conditions described in mid May, with first picking on May 17, 2017. The fruit is uniformly medium to large in size, sub-acidic and sweet in flavor, heart shaped, semi-freestone in type, firm in texture, red in flesh color, very dark red in skin color, and has a medium length stem that is strongly attached to the fruit.

Claims

1. A new and distinct variety of cherry tree, substantially as illustrated and described, that is most similar to Glenheart (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,248) cherry, by having a medium size and vigorous tree, by blooming heavy in the early to mid season, by being self-unfruitful, by having oval to reniform leaf glands, by being productive, and by producing cherries that ripen in mid May that are medium to large in size, dark red in skin color, dark red in flesh color, firm in texture, and fairly crack resistant, but is distinguished therefrom by producing cherries that are heart shaped instead of oblate, that are semi-freestone instead of clingstone, that are much less acidic in flavor, and that have longer stems.

Description

DRAWING

(1) The accompanying photograph displays four whole fruits with the stems attached, two whole fruits detached from the stems to exhibit the skin color and form, a sectioned fruit to reveal the flesh, fibers, and stone, three insets depicting flowers and buds, a typical tip shoot, and several leaves, all typical of the subject variety.

POMOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS

(2) Referring now more specifically to the pomological characteristics of this new and distinct variety of cherry tree, the following has been observed under the ecological conditions prevailing near Le Grand, Merced County (San Joaquin Valley), Calif., and was developed at the state of firm ripe on May 18, 2017, on the original tree during its seventeenth growing season. All major color code designations are by reference to the Inter-Society Color Council, National Bureau of Standards. Common color names are also used occasionally.

PARENTAGE

(3) Seed parent: Glenred cherry (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,859). Pollen parent: Unknown.

TREE

(4) Size: Medium, maintained to a height of 11 [3.35 m.] and a spread of 10 [3.05 m.] after seventeen growing seasons utilizing typical pruning. Vigor: Vigorous, responding typically to irrigation and fertilization. The plant should be grown on a standard commercial rootstock for production purposes. Growth: Spreading and dense. Form: Vase formed. Hardiness: Hardy with respect to central California winters. Heat tolerance: Observed to perform adequately in typical central California climatic conditions, which typically include extended periods of heat. Drought tolerance: Variety is developed for commercial orchards and requires regular irrigation. Production: Productive. Fertility: Self-unfruitful, must be cross pollinated by another early to mid seasonal blooming cherry variety, such as Glenred (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,859). The present variety is also a very good cross- pollinator for Glenred. Bearing: Fairly regular bearer, dependent upon seasonal blooming weather. Leaf bud burst: Toward the end of flowering. Trunk: Size.Stocky, reaching a maximum diameter of 5 [140 mm.] after the seventeenth growing season. Texture.Medium shaggy. Bark color.A Grayish yellowish brown [80. gy.yBr] and Moderate yellowish brown [77. m.yBr] variegation with Light yellowish brown [76. l.yBr] crevices present. Lenticels.Approximate Number Per Square Inch: 8. Color: Strong yellowish brown [74. s.yBr]. Average Size: Length is 7/16 [11.1 mm.] with a width of [3.2 mm.]. Shape: Eye-shaped, elongated. Branches: Size.Medium, diameter of main scaffold measured 12 above the crotch is 3 [95.3 mm.], diameter of limb is 2 [50.8 mm.] measured 12 above the first fork. Texture.Smooth on first and second year wood, increasing roughness with age. Color.1st Year Wood topside: Grayish red [19. gy.R]. 1st Year Wood underside: Brilliant yellow green [116. brill.YG]. 2nd Year Wood: A Dark grayish brown [62. d.gy.Br] and Grayish brown [61. gy.Br] variegation with Light brown [57. l.Br] crevices present. Lenticels.Number Per Square Inch: About 40 on second year wood. Color: Strong brown [55. s.Br]. Average Size: Length is 1/16 [1.6 mm.] and width is 1/64 [0.4 mm.]. Shape: Eye-shaped. Leaves: Size.Medium to large. Average Length: 5 [146 mm.]. Average Width: 2 7/16 [61.9 mm.]. Arrangement.Alternate. Thickness.Medium. Form.Elliptical. Apex.Acuminate. Base.Acute to rounded. Surface.Smooth on both sides. Color.Dorsal Surface: Moderate olive green [125. m.OlG]. Ventral Surface: Moderate yellow green [120. m.YG]. Red midvein.Absent. Margin.Finely serrate. Venation.Pinnately net veined. Vein color.Light yellow green [119. l.YG]. Petiole.Average Length: 1 1/16 [27.0 mm.]. Average Thickness: 1/16 [1.6 mm.]. Color: Grayish purplish pink [253. yy.pPk] on the topside, Strong yellow green [117. s.YG] underneath. Stipules.Number: 2 per leaf, up to 6 per growing tip. Average Length: [6.4 mm.]. Color: Brilliant yellow green [116. brill.YG] turning Dark purplish red [259. d.pR] with age. Glands.Number: Usually 2 per leaf. Position: Mostly alternate. Size: Medium, 1/32 [0.8 mm.] in diameter. Form: Reniform to oval. Color: Brilliant yellow green [116. brill.YG] with a Deep red [13. deep R] center. Leaf buds.Pointed. Flower buds: Hardiness.Hardy with respect to central California blooming season. Diameter.Typically 5/16 [7.9 mm.] 3 days before bloom. Length.Typically [15.9 mm.] 3 days before bloom. Form.Not appressed. Surface.Non-pubescent. Tip color.Pale Pink [7. p.Pk]. Flowers: Perfect, complete, perigynous, usually a single pistil, typically about twenty stamens, five sepals and petal locations alternately positioned. Average flower diameter.1 [44.5 mm.]. Average flower depth. [12.7 mm.] when fully open. Average pedicel length. [9.5 mm.]. Number of petals.Usually five, no extra petals or fragments observed. Petal arrangement.Overlapping. Petal shape.Obovate. Petal margin.Somewhat wavy with a few notches present. Average petal diameter. [15.9 mm.]. Average petal length. [19.1 mm.]. Petal apex.Emarginated. Petal base.Acute. Petal color.White [263. White] on both sides. Anther color.Light orange yellow [70. l.OY]. Stigma color.Brilliant greenish yellow [98. brill.gY]. Stigma position.Typically located about [3.2 mm.] above the nearby anthers. Stamen position.Typically located about 1/32 [0.8 mm.] below the petals. Ovary.Non-pubescent. Sepal color.Light grayish red [18. l.gy.R] over Moderate greenish yellow [102. m.gY] on the outer surface. The inner surface is Pale yellow green [121. p.YG]. Sepal outer surface.Slightly pubescent. Sepal length. [9.5 mm.]. Sepal width. 3/16 [4.8 mm.]. Sepal apex.Elliptical to match the sepal length and width. Sepal margin.Fairly smooth. Average pistil length. [19.1 mm.]. Average stamen length. 9/16 [14.3 mm.]. Fragrance.Moderate. Pollen production.Moderate. Pollen color.Strong yellow [84. s.Y]. Bloom density.Heavy. Blooming period.Early to medium, blooms three days later than Glenred (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,859) cherry. Onset of bloom.One percent on Mar. 12, 2017. Date of full bloom.Mar. 21, 2017. Duration of bloom.One to two weeks, dependent on ambient temperature. Number per cluster.Usually 2 to 6, 3 average.

FRUIT

(5) Maturity when described: Firm ripe, May 18, 2017. Date of first picking: May 17, 2017. Date of last picking: May 25, 2017. Size: Uniform, medium to large. Average diameter axially.1 3/16 [30.2 mm.]. Average diameter across cheek plane.1 3/16 [30.2 mm.]. Average diameter across suture plane.1 [25.4 mm.]. Typical weight.0.42 ounces [12 grams]. Form: Uniform, symmetrical, somewhat heart shaped. Axial view form.Elliptical to oblate. Suture plane form.Oval. Cheek plane form.Heart shaped. Suture: A shallow trough extending from the stem cavity, along the side, and ending with a slight depression just beyond the pistil point. Ventral surface: Rounded, lipped on both sides. Lips: Mostly equal. Cavity: Flaring, rounded, suture showing on one side. Depth. [3.2 mm.]. Breadth. 7/16 [11.1 mm.]. Base: Truncate, cordate if viewed parallel to the suture. Apex: Rounded. Pistil point: A Grayish yellow [90. gy.Y] dot. Stem: Medium length. Average length.1 7/16 [36.5 mm.]. Average width. 1/16 [1.6 mm.]. Attachment.Strong. Skin: Thickness.Medium. Surface.Smooth. Tenacity.Tenacious to the flesh. Astringency.Slight. Tendency to crack.Rarely observed in dry seasons, fairly resistant to cracking in wet season. Color.Very deep red [14. v.deep R] smoothly blending to a Deep red [13. deep R] background. Flesh: Color.Dark red [13. d.R] with Very dark red [17. v.d.R] bleeding next to the stone with Purplish pink [7. p.Pk] fibers throughout. Surface of pit cavity.Covered with Very dark red [17. v.d.R] fibers. Amygdalin.Moderate. Juice.Abundant, rich. Juice color.Deep red [13. deep R]. Texture.Firm, crisp. Fibers.Abundant, fine, tender. Ripens.Fairly evenly. Flavor.Sub-acidic and sweet, typically 21 to 22 brix. Aroma.Wanting. Eating quality.Very good.

STONE

(6) Type: Semi-freestone. Form: Oval. Hilum: Narrow, oblong. Base: Rounded. Apex: Acute. Sides: Fairly equal. Surface: Fairly smooth. External color of stone: Light yellowish brown [76. l.yBr]. Pit wall color when cracked: Pale yellow [89. p.Y]. Cavity surface color: Grayish yellow [90. gy.Y]. Average pit wall thickness: 1/32 [0.8 mm.]. Average width: [9.5 mm.]. Average length: 7/16 [11.1 mm.]. Average breadth: [6.4 mm.]. Tendency to split: None observed. Kernel: Form.Oval. Skin color.Pale yellow [89. p.Y] when first removed. Pellicle color.Moderate olive brown [95. m.OlBr]. Vein color.Grayish yellow [90. gy.Y]. Taste.Bitter. Viable.Yes. Average width. [6.4 mm.]. Average length. 5/16 [7.9 mm.]. Amygdalin.Moderate.

USE

(7) Market: Fresh market and long distance shipping. Keeping quality: Good, fruit quality observed to remain in good condition after 21 days in standard cold room at 36 Fahrenheit [2 Celsius]. Shipping quality: Good. Resistance to insects: Not tested. Resistance to diseases: Not tested.

OTHER NOTES

(8) Although the new variety of cherry tree possesses the described characteristics under the ecological conditions at Le Grand, Calif., in the central part of the San Joaquin Valley, it is to be expected that variations in these characteristics may occur when farmed in areas with different climatic conditions, different soil types, and/or varying cultural practices.