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| Carmine Jewel Cherry |
If you have been out walking today (August 1) you’ve probably observed throughout Edmonton a small
cherry tree resplendent with bright red fruit. These gorgeous dwarf trees
are so beautiful many gardeners place them in their front yards. They are perfectly shaped with an upright rounded form, and by August they are covered in cherries.
We have one called Carmine Jewel. It was developed by the
University of Saskatchewan, and released in 1999, so the cultivar is relatively
new. Other similar hardy dwarf cherries are named Cupid, Juliet, Romeo, Crimson
Passion and Valentine. Each one is a little different. They were bred to flourish in our northern climate. (By
the way, the University of Saskatchewan has great advice for home gardeners https://gardening.usask.ca/ ).
These dwarf trees are self-pollinating, so only one tree is required to get a good crop. The cherry saplings come in bush or tree form. They sell out quickly in spring at local nurseries. We paid about $70. You might be able to find one a little cheaper. Ours is more of a bush, although it grows from a single stem. We planted it a few years ago and today, August 1st, it’s loaded with tart medium sized ripe cherries. Our Carmine Jewel bush/tree stands just over 6 feet high, so the cherries are easy to pick. The tree can grow as high as 10 feet, with a width of 7 feet.
Wait 'til mid August to harvest
The cherries get sweeter & plumper if you wait until the 2nd - 3rd week in August to harvest. They turn dark crimson. If you let them go too long, though, they will start to shrivel and there will be more bird damage- although birds prefer the nearby saskatoons.
The Evans cherry has been grown in Edmonton for many decades. The fruit of the newer dwarf varieties is similar to the Evans cherry fruit. The difference of course is the size of the tree. The Evans cherry tree takes up much more space and grows higher.
Do you like sour tart cherries? Try them with something sweet. Like chocolate or vanilla ice cream. Take out the pits and add them to a smoothie. Are they healthy? Well if you google that, you will find multiple claims about the amazing health benefits of tart cherries. I think they are pretty healthy.
(One gardener who grows several varieties told me that Carmine Jewel was his favourite.)
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| Carmine Jewel June 27 |
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| Carmine Jewel cherries, July 27 |