Until now, only sweet cherries were available as tree grafted on a rootstock which quickly grew to 4 to 4.5 meters high when mature. Schrama Nurseries now presents a cherry in the form of a bush. "We now have the first cherry in the form of a bush, which will only become 2.2 meters in height. A product ideal for professional growers, but also for private customers in large and small gardens and even as a patio plant," according to the company from Biddinghuizen, the Netherlands.
It is the result of 60 years of crossing and breeding. "The cherry in the form of a bush has a high frost resistance (tested to - 45 degrees Celsius). The cherry (released by the University of Saskatchewan) moreover has a good taste. Normal sweet cherries have a sugar content of 11 to 13 brix. Porthos and Athos have a sugar content of as much as 15 to 23 brix, but because of the higher acidity in the cherry it tastes like a normal sweet cherry. "
Mechanical harvesting just like blueberry
Because of the bush shape, this is the first cherry that can even be harvested mechanically in the same way as the blueberry. "The production starts early, plants grow easily and are on their own root (not grafted)." The difference between Prunus avium ‘Porthos’ and Prunus avium ‘Athos’ is the harvest time.
The cherry in the form of a bush comes from the in-house in-vitro laboratory at Schrama Boomkwekerij where the bushes are propagated in a certified virus-free manner.
For more information: 
Schrama Nurseries
www.schramaboomkwekerijen.nl
[email protected]
+31 (0)321 331 646.