Features and secrets of growing frost-resistant Bessey cherries

Sand cherry has two varieties: eastern and western, called Bessey. The culture's homeland is the prairies of North America, where it grows along the banks of reservoirs. Western sand cherry is used as an ornamental and fruit shrub, while eastern sand cherry is used only for garden decoration and windbreak.

In Russia, Besseya has become widespread in Siberia and the Far East. Less often it can be found in the Ural gardens.

History of selection

Sand cherry is the closest relative of the Bessey cherry.
It grows in North America and has small, tasteless berries. American breeder Charles Edwin Bessey improved the species and developed a new variety, named after its creator. Canadian and American scientists are actively involved in the selection of this cherry. Attention! The pollinators of the Bessey cherry cannot be common cherry, steppe cherry, or sweet cherry.
In Russia, the variety first began to be grown in the Far East. Ivan Vladimirovich Michurin and other Soviet scientists worked to improve the taste of Bessey cherries. Particular attention was paid to the variety by Vladimir Sergeevich Putov from the Siberian Research Institute of Horticulture named after. M. A. Lisavenko. He developed several varieties with large sweet berries: 14-29, 14-32a, 14-36, 14-36a, 14-40.

Breeders are improving the Bessey cherry, crossing it with other crops and developing new varieties from it. The most popular varieties are included in the State Register:

• Watercolor Black.
• Breeze.
• Carmen.
• Northern woman.
• Black Swan.
• Relay race.

New items: brief descriptions

We invite you to get acquainted with modern varieties of sand cherries, which are included in the State Register of the Russian Federation in 2022 and are recommended for cultivation on private farms throughout the country.

Originator LLC NPO "Garden and Vegetable Garden" (Chelyabinsk region, Shumovo village):

“Watercolor black” is a mid-season variety of universal use. The bush is small, fast-growing, with a raised, slightly spreading crown. Fruits on annual growth. Belongs to the category of drought-resistant and winter-hardy crop varieties. weakly affected by weevil, susceptible to moniliosis.

The fruits are small, weighing 3 g, round, black, with a “non-removable” rough skin. The pulp is green, tender, juicy, with colorless juice, sweet and sour taste, without astringency. The bone is easily separated from the pulp. Fresh tasting score – 4.3 points.

The average yield of "Black Watercolor" is 14 c/ha

"Breeze" is a mid-season variety. The bush is small, medium growing, with a raised, slightly spreading crown of moderate density. Fruits on annual growth. The plant is drought-resistant and winter-hardy, slightly affected by weevils, but susceptible to moniliosis.

The fruits are universally used, small (weighing 1.8 g), round, black, with a “non-removable” rough skin. The pulp is green, tender, juicy, sweet and sour, with colorless juice. The taste is rated 3.8 points. It is difficult to separate the bone from the pulp.

Yield indicators of the “Breeze” variety – an average of 14.3 c/ha

Originator of the Federal State Budgetary Institution "Ural FA Research Center of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences":

"Carmen" is a mid-season variety of universal use. The bush is small, fast-growing with a semi-spreading, sparse crown. Fruits mainly on bouquet branches and annual growth. The plant is drought-resistant and winter-hardy, weakly affected by moniliosis and immune to insect pests.

The fruits are one-dimensional, weighing 3.4 g, oval, black, with a “non-removable” rough skin. The pulp is green, tender, juicy, sweet, with colorless juice. The taste is rated 4.5 points by professional tasters. The bone is easily separated from the pulp.

The average yield of "Carmen" reaches 25 c/ha

“Severyanka” is an early ripening variety for universal use. The bush is small, fast-growing, with a spreading, sparse crown. Fruits mainly on bouquet branches and annual growth. The plant is drought-resistant and winter-hardy, and is not affected by moniliosis and insect pests.

The fruits are large, one-dimensional, weighing 4.7 g, wide-heart-shaped, black, with a rough, “non-removable” skin. The pulp is green, tender, slightly juicy, sweet, with colorless juice. The taste is rated 4.2 points. The bone is easily separated from the pulp.

“Severyanka” is characterized by record yields – an average of 29.7 c/ha

“Black Swan” is a mid-season variety. The bush is small, fast-growing, with a slightly spreading, sparse crown. Fruits mainly on bouquet branches and annual growth. The plant is drought-resistant and winter-hardy, weakly affected by moniliosis and immune to insect pests.

The fruits are universally used, one-dimensional, rather large (weighing 3.7 g), round, black, with a “non-removable” rough skin. The pulp is green, tender, juicy, the juice is colorless. The taste is sweet, assessed by tasters at 4.5 points. The bone is easily separated from the pulp.

The average yield of the “Black Swan” reaches 27 c/ha

“Relay” is a mid-season universal variety. The bush is small, fast-growing, with a semi-spreading, sparse crown. Fruits mainly on bouquet branches and annual growth. The plant is drought-resistant and winter-hardy, slightly affected by moniliosis and insect pests.

The fruits are one-dimensional, weighing 3.4 g, round, almost black, with a rough, “non-removable” skin. The pulp is green, tender, juicy, sweet, with colorless juice. Tasting assessment of the taste of fresh fruits – 4.5 points. The bone is easily separated from the pulp.

The average yield of Relay is 24.2 c/ha

To compare the consumer qualities, we present the biochemical composition of the fruits in a summary table:

Description of sand cherry

Bessey cherry is a dwarf cherry with a height of 70 to 150 cm and a width of up to 200 cm. The shrub has several trunks and a spreading crown . Young branches are erect and have a reddish-brown color; as they age, they begin to creep and acquire black-gray shades.

Leaves

Representatives of the variety have elongated lanceolate green leaves with a “silver dust” effect. Up to 6 cm long. Externally similar to willow leaves. The upper leathery part of the plate is bright green, and the lower part is grayish. In autumn they turn red.

Attention! Sometimes, at the first snowfall, the cherry tree does not shed its leaves.

Flowers

Bessey has small white or light pink flowers up to 2.5 cm in diameter with a pleasant sweet scent. The flowers are distinguished by red pistils , they are bisexual and collected in inflorescences.
Cherry trees begin to bloom, as a rule, at the end of spring, i.e. 2.5-3 weeks later than other cherry varieties. Because of the beauty of the flowers and late flowering, it is used as a hedge.

Fruit

The berries differ in color depending on the variety . They can be yellow, bright red or maroon. The shape varies from round to slightly oblong. Weight is up to 5 g, and the diameter of the fruit is up to 15 mm. The taste is sweetish, tart, astringent, with a slight sourness. Tasting score: 3.7 points out of 5.

According to various sources, fruits contain: 14-23% dry matter, 6.1-12 sugars, acids - 0.3-1.2%, tannins and coloring substances - 0.25-0.3%, ascorbic acid - 10- 32 mg/%, polyphenols – 250-870 mg/%.

A large number of berries are on the lower branches. The fruits are commonly used in jams, preserves, compotes and juices. They are also often dried and frozen.

Important! The fruits do not fall off for a long time. In hot weather they become sweeter.

Subtleties of further care

Caring for Duke Miracle Cherry includes timely watering, fertilizing, protection from diseases and pests, pruning and crown formation. The yield, taste and commercial quality of the fruit depend on these procedures.

Watering intensity

2-3 weeks after planting, the seedlings are watered abundantly with warm, settled water. The stream is directed to the root circle or to the base of the trunk, bypassing young shoots. After a month, the duke is watered less frequently, about once a month. From 20 to 40 liters are consumed per plant, depending on the age of the Miracle Cherry. In rainy weather, the amount of water is reduced, as waterlogging leads to the development of fungal diseases.

Soil fertilization

In the southern regions, Miracle Cherry consistently bears fruit without regular fertilizing. This is one of the advantages of duka; caring for the plant becomes even easier. In the middle zone of the country, fertilizers are mandatory - they affect fruit set, flowering, yield and ripening time. Gardeners use mineral and organic fertilizers - manure, mullein infusion, double superphosphate, potassium mixtures. Once a season, foliar feeding is carried out - the plant is sprayed with a weak honey solution.

Pruning and crown formation

The crown is formed for the first time immediately after planting the seedling in the garden plot. The trunk and top are cut at 60 cm. In the second year, the shoots are cut by 30% of the entire length. Thanks to pruning, the yield of the Miracle cherry and the weight of the fruit increase. 5 years after planting, the duke is rejuvenated - the shoots are cut off at the level of a 4-year-old tree. If you do not prune and shape, the shoots will grow long and tangled, which will negatively affect the yield.

Disease and pest control

To avoid the appearance of ticks, flies and slugs, gardeners regularly take preventive measures. The appearance of mites is prevented by spraying with a solution of copper sulfate; they are carried out in dry and windless weather. Loosening the soil and applying mineral fertilizers help in the fight against slugs. To avoid the appearance of flies, summer residents regularly spray the Miracle Cherry with a solution of Bordeaux mixture.

To combat diseases, gardeners use copper oxychloride sprays (40 g of the drug is required per bucket of warm water). The products include “Zineb” or “Topsin-M”. Spraying is carried out in accordance with the recommendations on the packaging. Purchase medications from gardening stores.

Characteristics

The characteristics of sand cherries from North America and Bessey from Russia differ. This is due to the fact that the latter were tested in harsh climatic conditions.

Drought and frost resistance

Besseya has high drought and frost resistance. The roots can withstand down to -26˚C. The above-ground part without shelter can survive down to -40˚C.
The advantage over other varieties is that Bessey, having frozen a little, quickly recovers. New shoots develop from the root collar, which produce a large harvest the following year.

The disadvantage of this variety is its poor tolerance to damping off. If the root collar is damaged, the shrub dies. In winter, it is advisable to pierce the snowdrifts near the bush from time to time in several places - this way the plant will better withstand frost.

Pollinators, flowering and maturation

Besseya is partially self-fertile. For better pollination, it is recommended to plant several pollinating varieties next to the shrub, for which you can use plums, plum-cherry hybrids and varieties of sand cherries.

Attention! Bessey cherry pollen has a high ability to fertilize other crops.

Flowering begins in late May - early June. It lasts 2.5-3 weeks. Fruiting starts in early August.

Productivity

Cherries produce berries in the second year after planting. Berries are formed only on young shoots, the age of which does not exceed 5 years .
When ripe, the fruits do not fall off, but continue to hang on the branches. The lifespan of the bush is up to 14 years. From one mature bush you can collect up to 30 kg of fruit. Fruits every year. The fruits should be collected in autumn. When stored, the taste of the berries becomes sweeter. Bessey needs regular anti-aging circumcision.

Resistance to diseases and pests

Besseya is resistant to various diseases and pests. Sometimes it can be affected by kleasterosporiosis.

Harvesting and processing

Bessey can be harvested at any time after ripening: the fruits do not fall off and become tastier when ripe. The main thing is that the berries do not get dirty. To do this, you can lay agrofibre or cut grass on the ground. Some gardeners arrange special supports so that branches generously strewn with fruits do not lie on the ground.

Bessey berries are processed in the same way as plums: they are quite similar in composition. It is best to add them to jams, compotes, juices and wine from other fruits - sand cherries will give them a special color and aroma.

Growing Bessey sand cherries is possible even in regions where other stone fruit crops cannot survive. Perhaps its taste is unique and not everyone will like it, but a large amount of vitamins and other healing substances makes the berries not just a delicacy, but a useful addition to our diet.

Landing rules

Bessey cherry needs to be planted before the buds open and the juices begin to flow, i.e. in April. In regions with cool summers, seedlings in containers on the site can be placed throughout the season .

The main criterion for choosing a place during planting is sufficient sunshine, protection from wind and rain. The variety is contraindicated:

• wetlands;
• hollows;
• damping off;
• water stagnation.

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Bessey cherry is best planted at higher elevations. This is a small plant that is often shaded by other trees. The variety is not picky about soil and can grow even in alkaline soils.

The following should not be located near the variety:

• oak;
• birch;
• nut;
• raspberries;
• sea ​​​​buckthorn;
• black currant.

When choosing a seedling, you should pay special attention to the development of the root system and reddish-brown shoots without damage. Other crops cannot be grafted onto Bessey cherry.

Landing algorithm:

1. A fertile mixture is prepared from the top layer of soil, humus, dolomite flour, ash and superphosphate.
2. Prepare a hole 40x40x40 cm. If the groundwater is close, the hole is deepened a few more centimeters, and broken red brick, crushed stone or sand is placed at the bottom.
3. The distance between bushes should be at least 2 m.
4. Fertile soil is poured to the bottom.
5. A seedling is placed in the middle.
6. The root is covered with the mixture, gradually compacting the layer.
7. After planting, create a roller of soil around the bush.
8. Watered.
9. The tree trunk circle is mulched.

When planting, the root collar should be 5 cm higher from the soil surface. In spring, the main shoot is shortened by 10 cm.

Features of cultivation

Bessey cherry came to us from distant North America, where it grows mostly in arid areas with rocky and sandy soils. Therefore, when caring for plants, you have to be guided by several rules based on the genetic expectations of this species.

Choosing a landing site

A sunny, elevated site is the main condition for the normal growth of Bessey cherry. The plant does not tolerate shading and excess soil moisture. Even short-term spring stagnation of water in the soil leads to heating of the bushes. The soil should easily allow moisture to pass through; sandy and sandy loam soils are desirable. In some cases, it is better to lay an additional drainage layer under the future planting.

Landing

Bessey cherry cuttings are planted in early spring, less often in autumn. Soil preparation consists of saturating it with humus and sand. For spring planting, it is better to prepare the holes in the fall. Although the plant is famous for its unpretentiousness in choosing soils, sandy loam soil with an admixture of humus and compost will be gratefully accepted by the Bessey shrub.

The seedlings are placed at a distance of 1.5-2 m. It is better to form a small mound for each, which will additionally protect them from rotting.

It is easy to grow this type of “microcherry” by sowing fresh or overwintered seeds in moist soil. Besseya is characterized by high seed germination; usually more than half of the seeds are produced by healthy seedlings. After germination, the plant quickly forms a developed root and does not require complex care. In the second year, the seedlings are ready to be transplanted to a permanent location.

Advice. It is better to plant more seeds in order to then select specimens with berries of acceptable taste .

Breeding rules

Reproduction is carried out using seeds, seedlings or seeds. In the latter case, the quality of the variety is slightly lost.

Seedlings (cuttings)

In June, cuttings are cut to prepare planting material. Remove the leaves, make a cut, place it first in water and then in stimulating fertilizer.
Planting material is distributed into containers, covered with jars and placed in a dark place. 30 days after the formation of the first roots, the jars are removed and the cuttings are grown.

Cuttings in jars cannot be placed in a warm, sunny place, because... they may suffocate.

Seeds

Material for subsequent plantings is removed from the berries, placed first in damp sawdust, and then in a dark and cool place. Seeds should be in metal or glass boxes. Planting in the ground is carried out either in April or in October.

Cherry fruiting period

Culture bears fruit early. In the second, and in extreme cases, in the third year, the low-growing shrub is covered with beautiful flowers, which later grow into round fruits. Cherry berries begin to ripen in the last month of summer. They stay on the branches for a long time, so they can be removed over a long period. After ripening, the berries do not fall off. They only slightly wither right on the branches, acquiring a brighter and more pleasant taste.

Rules for caring for shrubs

Particularly increased growth occurs in the first four years of life. During this period, the plant needs special care. The annual growth is about 35-45 cm.

Watering

Important! In the first month after planting, the seedling needs weekly watering.

One bucket of water should be poured under the root. As an adult, the shrub needs watering only in hot weather.

Top dressing

In early spring, add half a bucket of rotted humus or compost to a depth of 10 cm. In May, the plant is fed with ammonium nitrate, and in the summer with a solution of superphosphate and potassium sulfate. In the fall, a solution of Fertika or superphosphate and potassium sulfate is added to the soil of the bush.

Trimming

For annual shrubs, the main shoot is cut to 10 cm .
This is necessary for the bush to form a crown. In the third year, branches that cross or point inward are removed. Leave 8-11 skeletal branches.

After leaf fall, damaged branches are removed. During pruning, five-year-old branches should be trimmed and lubricated with garden varnish.

Preparing for frost

Besseya is frost-resistant, but nevertheless needs to be prepared for winter. Young seedlings should be covered and insulated. A layer of peat with humus is poured under the base of the bush and covered with spruce branches. Mature shrubs do not need insulation. Preparations for frosts should be carried out in November.

How to plant Bessey cherry

Before planting Besseya on your site, make sure that there is a suitable place for it. It should be elevated, well lit and ventilated. Cherry is not too demanding on soils, but prefers sandy and sandy loam soils. The soil must be alkaline or neutral; acidic soil must be deoxidized with lime or dolomite flour.

If a place is found, we purchase seedlings. This is not always a simple question. Not all regions have nurseries that grow Bessey seedlings. Of course, you can find manufacturers and suppliers who will send you seedlings by mail, but you cannot always be sure of the quality of such planting material.

It’s good if one of your neighbors or friends already has such a cherry growing. Then you can simply ask them for cuttings or even dig up a few branches for rooting. The process is absolutely simple, similar to the propagation of currants. By digging up the branches in early spring, you can get good, rooted seedlings by autumn. But it is better to plant them in the spring; autumn planting is associated with the risk of freezing, although this cherry is frost-resistant. Therefore, it is better to bury the seedlings and protect them from frost until spring.

Besseya is easily propagated by layering

Step-by-step instruction

Planting Bessey is simple and not much different from planting other cherries:

1. In the fall, the site is marked. The distance between rows should be 3–3.5 m, between plants in a row - 2 m.
2. Prepare planting holes with a diameter of 50–60 cm and a depth of 40–50 cm. The upper fertile part of the soil is folded separately.
3. Fill the holes with a mixture of top fertile soil with compost or humus (10–20 kg per hole), add 1 liter of wood ash and a handful of superphosphate. The holes are filled completely and a small mound is made on top, which will settle before spring.
4. In early spring, before the buds begin to bloom (this is important), they begin planting directly. The roots of the seedling are straightened, and damaged ones are cut off with pruning shears. If it was in a container, take it out with a lump of earth and also straighten the roots. If the soil was loose and crumbled, it’s okay.
5. A mound is formed in the planting hole, on which the seedling is placed, the roots are distributed around the mound. It is covered with earth, compacted and watered well with water (2-3 buckets).
6. Mulch with humus, compost, rotted sawdust, etc.
7. The shoot is cut to 10–15 cm.

   A cherry seedling is placed on a mound, spreading the roots along its edges, and then covered with earth.

Treatment and prevention of diseases and pests

Besseya is resistant to most diseases and pests. But in humid climates, fungi or viruses can develop. Cherries can be susceptible to several diseases:

• perforated leaf spot;
• coccomycosis;
• monoliosis of flowers.

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For prevention purposes, the branches of shrubs are whitened with lime in early spring, and the tree trunks are treated with Bordeaux mixture. Before and after flowering, the foliage is sprayed with fungicide solutions. All diseased and damaged leaves or fruits are cut off and burned.

In summer, plants can be attacked by insects. To combat them, insecticide sprays are used.

Appearance and taste

In the southern regions and regions with mild winters, trees with a spreading crown are formed. In the northern regions and Siberia, bush-shaped trees are grown.

Externally, cherry is an average version of both crops, but the taste of the fruit is closer to cherries.

The leaf blade is a rich green color, larger than that of a cherry, reminiscent of cherry leaves, with a noticeable shine and a denser structure. The petioles are long.

The fruits are formed on short stalks and bouquet branches and are large in size. Average weight – 10 g, maximum – 20 g. The structure of the pulp is like that of cherry fruits. The sugar content is similar to that of cherries, but a large amount of acids slightly impairs the taste. The fruits hang on the branches for a long time. The taste characteristics only improve. The taste is sweet and sour, herbaceous, delicate, with a refreshing aftertaste.

The central trunk and shoots are smooth, like a cherry. The bark is dark brown. Skeletal shoots are sometimes located at an acute angle to the central trunk.

In the middle zone, flowering begins at the end of June, in the southern regions - in May. Flowers of white or white-pink shades are collected in inflorescences in the form of bouquets.

Cherry cherry is a fast-growing crop and, in the presence of suitable pollinators, produces the first harvest in the third year. At the end of flowering, unpollinated flowers fall off.

Biological features

Cherry cherry is a stone fruit crop that has received the best characteristics from its “parents”. Most varieties are self-sterile, but abundant flowering makes it a desirable ornamental crop.

Sharp temperature fluctuations, sudden frosts, and heat negatively affect the formation of eggs and pollen. The number of flowers capable of pollination is reduced to 1%. In some cases, germ cells are not formed.

Under optimal development conditions, only 5% of flower buds are literally hung with large fruits.

Cherevishna does not tolerate loneliness due to self-sterility. Experienced gardeners recommend planting trees next to cherries and sweet cherries. Dukes do not interbreed with each other.

Pollination

The best pollinators for Duke:

1. Nurse - cherries of the Podbelskaya and Vstrecha varieties, Valery Chkalov and Krupnoplodnaya cherries.
2. Ivanovna – Shalunya cherry, Franz Joseph and Krupnofrodnaya cherries.
3. Nadezhda - large Black, Kent and Lada cherries, Large-fruited cherries.
4. Griot Melitopol - Meeting and Waiting cherries, Vinka cherries.
5. Toy – Samsonovka and Shalunya cherries, Large-fruited cherries, Valery Chkalov, Franz Joseph.

It is recommended to purchase cherry seedlings together with pollinators that are capable of pollinating 1/3 of the flowers. This guarantees a bountiful harvest.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantages include:

• Frost resistance.
• Drought resistance.
• Easy to care for.
• Precociousness.
• Decorative variety.

Disadvantages of the variety:

• Low tolerance to wet weather.
• Specific taste of berries.
• With age, the shrub loses its decorative appearance.

Did you like the taste of the frost-resistant Besseya (sand) cherry?

Very tasty For everyone

Reviews from gardeners

Many users speak positively about the variety. Everyone notes the various benefits of Bessey cherries. On one of the forums they say that cherries grow well on sandy soils and do not need fertilizers.

The size of the bush is no larger than a currant bush . Often suffers from moniliosis. Aphids also attack. But by mid-summer, new shoots grow together, and by autumn Besseya is beautiful again. It justified decorative hopes because it is resistant to coccomycosis.

In spring it blooms very luxuriantly - rare branches are completely covered with flowers. Berries can be called edible, but there is always something tastier in the garden. They resemble cherries only in consistency, but in taste they are more like bird cherry, only more bland.

On another forum they talk about three varieties of cherries, two of which are aronia, and one with brown fruits. The age of the bushes is 7-8 years. The yields are always stable, bearing fruit from two years.

The chokeberry variety produces berries of different tastes .
One variety has a cartilaginous consistency of berries, like a cherry, while another has a watery consistency, like a cherry. The bushes are low-growing - maximum 1.5 m. Cherries with brown fruits have a bush height of up to 1 m. The berries have an unusual taste and are similar to cherries. As soon as the berry has turned black, it still needs to be kept on the branches for at least two weeks, then all the astringency will leave the berries and they will become sweet. The berries do not fall off.

Black berries are well suited for compotes, they give color and an unusual taste, but brown berries do not give color in preparations, only for fresh consumption. For abundant fruiting, it is necessary to have at least 2 varieties, since this cherry is not pollinated by other stone fruits.

The advantage of this cherry is that it is propagated by shoots from under the root or seeds, which sprout beautifully throughout the entire area next season. Cherries have high frost and drought resistance. In Orenburg in the winter of 2017-2018, frosts were above 30˚C, the average snow cover was minimal 5-10 cm in December and January. Besseya did not freeze and the harvest was excellent.

Use of the variety in homestead farming

Bessey cherry is grown in garden plots as an ornamental plant or as a fruit crop.

Using shrub plantings, hedges are made. The bush is quite bright, the leaves are dark green with a bluish tint. During the flowering period, the plant is strewn with small inflorescences, ripe berries harmonize pleasantly with the greenery, and in the fall the foliage changes color to bright red.

If you are interested in purchasing Bessey specifically as an ornamental shrub, pay attention to the Pisarda variety. The hybrid was bred in 1910 by Niels Hansen, as a result of crossing Bessey sand cherry and cherry plum.

The shrub turned out to be short (no more than a meter) and unpretentious in care. The Purple Leaf Sand Cherry variety, which has dark purple foliage, is also interesting. It is cultivated in the USA, and over the past few years it has been winning the love of Russian gardeners.

The berries of the plant are also suitable for use as food, especially for compotes and jam.

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Very interesting article, I have never heard of this cherry variety before. Can you tell me if these cherries are suitable for canning and if they make good jam? I’m also interested in how quickly the shrub begins to bear fruit after planting?

Hello, Ekaterina. If you get a strong seedling, it will produce the first harvest in the second year. True, it’s insignificant, you can try it, but most likely you won’t be able to collect it for preservation. Good harvests, if all agricultural techniques are followed, can be expected in the third or fourth year after planting. Yes, the fruits are suitable for canning. There are recipes on the Internet for both Bessey jam and compotes. True, I didn’t have a chance to evaluate the taste. Most likely it will be an unusual jam, with a unique, tart taste. Judging by people's reviews, many people like jam from Bessey.

I remember the taste of this berry from childhood, we climbed into a friend’s garden, fell under the bushes of this cherry and ate, ate, ate! I don’t know what variety it was, but the berries were sweet, slightly tart (for comparison, bird cherry has a more tart taste) very juicy, and the compote made from them was amazing! Highly recommend.