“Schauenburger Schweizer” Swiss fruit of the year 2016

Fruit farmers appreciate the regular harvest; the resistance against rain and the prolonged time this variety can stay on the tree while it’s ripe before harvesting. The ease of storage and transport of the cherry are commercial advantages. And the late ripe cherry fit perfectly into the range of European cherries. For decades the brownish-black Schauenburger cherry was the essence of a good cherry for consumers. The large cherry, especially for that time, the balanced flavor and the firm texture was expected with anticipation every year. 

Mid-eighties the Schauenburger cherry reached its peak. New, attractive cherry varieties that could be grown on low trees, entered the market and genetic mutations caused difficulties. As a real consumption cherry the Schauenburger wasn’t suitable for industrial uses. The sales decreased and thousands of large cherry trees disappeared from the landscape. 

Its tendency to mutate led to a pretty variety; Paul Grieder discovered a single branch with red fruits and a brown stripe on one of his Schauenburger trees. And successfully grafted this striped variety on other trees.

Nowadays the Schauenburger cherry is of little importance in the cherry cultivation. But the large and mighty trees can’t be missed in the Swiss landscape, where they have an aesthetic and ecological value. For farmers who directly sell their produce and self-sufficient growers the uncomplicated tree with a regular harvest is still a good alternative for the current usual varieties.

The Schauenburger cherry is representative of the gradual disappearance of heirloom varieties. FRUCTUS wants, with the annual award of the title Swiss fruit of the year, to inform the public of the need to preserve and promote heirloom fruit varieties.

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