Cherry tree `Early Red`

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cherry tree and more particularly to a new and distinct variety broadly characterized by a tree of medium size and vigor, upright, vase formed, hardy, foliated with large, ovate, abruptly acuminate, acutely pointed, moderately coarse crenate leaves, that is inclined to be a very regular, very precocious bearing tree, with a lower chilling requirement than any commercial variety known to me presently grown in the United States, blooming approximately five (5) days ahead of Ruby (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,436), a low chilling variety, in my experimental orchard located near Lodi, County of San Joaquin, Calif., and four (4) days ahead of Tulare (patented), in my test plot in Orange Cove, County of Fresno, Calif. The present variety has very short stems, very firm textured fruit, being equal in firmness to mid-season commercial varieties, resembling Garnet (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,431) in fruit shape, maturing in Lodi, Calif., the first week of May, with full uniform maturity on May, 2, 1993, the fruit being uniformly large, having excellent flavor, excellent soluble solids, moderate acidity, very agreeable sugar-acid ratio, very glassy external appearance being shiny red over the total area of the fruit, semi-free in type and with fruit flesh that is very dark, inky, red in color when the fruit attains dark red maturity. The variety was developed as a hybridized seedling of Garnet as the selected seed parent and Ruby as the selected pollen parent.

I claim: 
     
       1. A new and distinct variety of cherry tree, substantially as illustrated and described, being of medium vigor and size, the fruit strongly resembling Garnet in form, size, color and external appearance, but having a somewhat shorter thicker fruit stem, equivalent firmness of flesh and toughness of the skin, darker red flesh color and darker red juice at maturity, fruit ripening more evenly, picking ripe twelve (12) days earlier, having a lower chilling requirement, more precocious, the tree having equivalent tolerance for higher temperatures with good resistance to the development of spurs and doubles, but being more resistant to the development of sutures in warmer climates.