Compact stella

Compact Stella originates from Canada, where it was developed in 1973. at the renowned Summerland Research Station in British Columbia by Dr. K. Lapins. It was created under laboratory conditions through induced mutation using X-ray irradiation of the original Stella variety. Due to its unique compact and semi-dwarf growth, complete self-fertility, and large fruit, it is one of the most popular and most sought-after sweet cherry varieties for intensive high-density orchards, small gardens, home gardens, and container cultivation.

It is a fully self-fertile variety. Since it carries a specific mutated genotype, S3S’4, it is a descendant of the world’s first genetically self-fertile sweet cherry. It is characterized by an exceptionally high level of self-pollination and abundant flowering on rich spur clusters, so it reliably and abundantly bears in pure single-variety orchards without any need for other companion varieties in the planting. Due to its abundant flowering and extremely high-quality pollen with excellent germination capacity, Compact Stella is a premium universal donor and pollinator for almost all other cross-pollinated sweet cherry varieties that flower at the same time. It flowers medium-early.

The tree is naturally low to moderate in vigor, as a genetically compact selection, with very short internodes, upright branch angles, and a dense, smaller, pyramidal canopy. It reaches only 50–60% of the height and volume of a standard sweet cherry tree. It enters full bearing extremely early, often producing its first fruit as early as the second year after planting. Once it starts bearing, it produces regular, stable, very abundant, and record-breaking yields. Due to the very dense arrangement of fruiting elements and leaves along the entire length of the branches, it requires mandatory and regular summer, or green, pruning and winter pruning in order to thin the branches and provide optimal light penetration inside the canopy.

It belongs to the group of medium-early sweet cherry varieties. In our region and under continental climatic conditions, it reaches harvest maturity in the first half of June, usually between June 1 and 10, only 5 to 7 days after the early Burlat variety.

Harvesting takes place during the first half of June. The fruit ripens fairly uniformly and is characterized by a recognizable, long, and firm stem, which allows it to hold well on the tree and prevents it from dropping on its own in stronger winds.

In fresh condition, it can be successfully kept in cold storage for 7–14 days. Due to its moderately firm and fleshy fruit, it tolerates careful picking, packing, and transport in shallow crates well. It is primarily a premium table variety for fresh consumption at the beginning of the season, but due to its high sugar and dry matter content, it is also excellent for home processing, preserves, compotes, and syrups.

The fruit is large to very large, with an average weight of 9–10 g, exceptionally uniform on the tree, and regular in its attractive heart-shaped form with a long stem. The skin is thin, smooth, and distinctly glossy, intense dark red at harvest, turning deep black-purple at full maturity. The flesh is dark red, firm, compact, juicy, and moderately crisp, typical of a semi-crisp sweet cherry. The taste is outstanding, rich, full, and dessert-like, characterized by high sugar content, moderate acidity, and a luxurious, recognizable sweet cherry aroma. The stone is medium-sized and separates easily from the flesh.

It is moderately resistant to diseases. It shows excellent natural resistance of the wood to low winter frosts during dormancy. On the other hand, its greatest pomological drawback is the high susceptibility of the fruit to cracking caused by summer rains during the ripening stage, which is why in humid and rainy June conditions it requires mandatory and intensive preventive chemical protection against Monilinia and fruit rot, Monilinia laxa, as well as the selection of permeable, well-ventilated, and elevated vineyard-type sites.

The root system is moderately deep, strong, and branched. It absolutely does not tolerate heavy, compacted, clayey, or waterlogged soils with a high groundwater level, because under such conditions the roots quickly suffer from asphyxia, or suffocation. It requires exclusively permeable, light, fertile, and well-aerated soils.

Our sweet cherry fruit trees are produced primarily on vigorous, certified rootstocks: mahaleb cherry, Prunus mahaleb, and wild sweet cherry, with which this specific variety achieves perfect natural compatibility and a stable graft union. The vigor of these rootstocks provides ideal biological balance and gives optimal vitality to its genetically compact canopy, preventing premature aging and tree exhaustion, while on exceptionally fertile soils it can also be successfully grown on Colt rootstock.