The constant varietal innovation and the guarantee of high-quality plants make it a reference point for those looking to invest in a modern, sustainable, and market-oriented cherry cultivation.
And Battistini Vivai, with its many years of experience, continues to be a strategic partner for Italian and international agricultural entrepreneurs in this sector.
Indeed, cherry cultivation is among the most strategic segments for the company, offering a wide range of rootstocks and cultivars capable of meeting producers’ needs in terms of productivity, resistance, and fruit quality.
Among these, three particularly interesting varieties stand out: Giant Red, Royal Helen, and Ferdouce*.
Also known as Prime Giant, the Giant Red is one of the varieties that has revolutionized cherry cultivation in the medium-early ripening period.
Its main characteristic is its large size, with fruits reaching 32-34 millimeters, accompanied by an intense dark red color and excellent post-harvest shelf life.
From an agronomic perspective, the tree has a spreading growth habit and excellent productivity, entering production quickly.
It has an intermediate and abundant flowering, but since it is a non-self-fertile variety, it requires suitable pollinators, including Frisco, Folfer, and Ferdouce*.
Giant Red (Vivai Battistini)
Ripening occurs approximately 4 days after Burlat, positioning it strategically within the harvest calendar to optimize market distribution.
Despite its moderate sensitivity to cracking, it is recommended to use protective covers to ensure maximum yield.
In addition to having an attractive appearance, the fruit stands out for its excellent firmness and a well-balanced sweet flavor, highly appreciated by the market.
The Royal Helen, part of the Royal family, is one of the most promising late-ripening varieties, offering a high-quality product in the final phase of the cherry season.
The tree has good vigor and a semi-upright growth habit, with rapid fruiting and excellent productivity.
This variety is self-fertile, reducing the need for external pollinators and ensuring greater production efficiency.
Royal Helen (Battistini Vivai)
It has a mid-to-late flowering period, while ripening occurs approximately 25 days after Burlat, strategically positioned before Sweet Heart®.
The fruits are round, deep red, large in size, with a long shelf life and good resistance to handling, making it an ideal variety for export.
The flavor is very good and aromatic, with a texture that ensures an excellent taste experience for consumers.
The variety Ferdouce*, developed by Cep Innovation, falls among the mid-season cherries, with a ripening period approximately 12 days after Burlat.
It requires pollinators such as Folfer and stands out for its high productivity and early fruiting.
Ferdouce (CTIFL)
From a vegetative standpoint, the tree has strong vigor and a spreading growth habit, ensuring excellent efficiency in agronomic management.
The fruits are characterized by a dominant size of 30 millimeters, an intense red skin, a crunchy and sweet pulp, and a short peduncle that facilitates harvesting and handling.
It has very high productivity and moderate sensitivity to cracking, making it an interesting variety for modern cultivation strategies.
These three varieties represent excellent solutions for cherry growers looking to focus on highly profitable productions.
Thanks to their different ripening periods, they allow for an extended harvest window, improving production distribution in the market and optimizing orchard profitability.
Source: Agronotizie
05 May 2025
The 2025 Apulian cherry season kicks off in May with reduced yields but excellent fruit quality. Tricarico’s Cherries focuses on varietal innovation and short supply chains to meet climate change challenges and strengthen a key sector for Italian agriculture.
19 Aug 2024
The first block illustrated the implications of viruses, the damage they can cause in a cherry tree and the importance of prevention as a form of management. The second was devoted to basic information on plant-parasitic nematodes and entomopathogens.
26 Jun 2025
A study from Yantai, China shows that brassinolide application improves the storage of “Tieton” cherries, significantly reducing cold damage, weight loss, and degradation of visual and nutritional quality of the fruits during prolonged cold storage conditions.
26 Jun 2025
Meda cherries gain traction across Europe: trials in 12 countries, first harvest in the Netherlands, and over 1,200 hectares assigned worldwide. The project spans USA, Chile, South Africa and China, focusing on quality, earliness, innovation and agronomic sustainability.
