I should elaborate on the water issue. My outdoor cherries were half the size of greenhouse fruit and 35+ brix. That says too much water deficit to me. In the greenhouse I'm always suggesting a long term water deficit to increase brix on pluot and nectarine, not sure about cherries. But judging by fruit size and brix in the linked report above, I got it right on water last year. A refractometer is very helpful on water management. If brix is below 16 on most stone fruit, with large fruit size, that indicates too much water. If brix is above 32-35 and fruit small, that is too much water deficit.

Zaiger was working with different cherry tree cultivars from Spain. It's quite possible—I would even say very likely—they could have used Cristobalina to breed Royal Lee. The descriptions of these cherries sound quite similar to each other in many respects, dark colored flesh, sweet, and good flavor. quote by goyo626: "I tried searching for cristobalina cherry patent info but nothing comes up. Can anyone direct me to the patent info on this variety. The only info I have found is that it is an old spanish variety. Thank you. " I feel reluctant to post this again, because I have already posted in several other places in this message board, but here it goes... There is a low chill Spanish heirloom variety cherry called Cristobalina. It is self-fertile and requires about 200 chill hours. Cristobalina has been grown for generations of cherry growers in Andalucia and Valencia, where winters are as mild as they are in Southern California, and reliably produces fruit despite lack of a cold winter. It is known to flower mid-February and produces dark purple, delicious sweet cherries. The only negative is that the fruit does not have as much edible flesh as other more popular cherry varieties, but thinning the tree can help lead to more full-sized fruit. Of course there would not be a patent on it, and this variety is not widely known in America.

I tried growing both varieties. The first time I received 2 to 3 year old trees on the rootstock with the interstem for earlier fruiting. They did fruit, but canker got both before ripening. They made about 90 days before dying. The second try I received younger trees without the interstem. They made about 6 months before dying of canker. I am stubborn, so tried one last time and had this set growing on the southwest part of town. They were younger trees and made about 18 months before dying of canker. They will fruit here if you are in a part of town without disease pressure. When I lived in the Bear Creek (northwest) area, I did not have to spray for bugs or disease....no fungus, bacteria, or PC. The area I now live in Kingwood (northeast) is high in disease and bugs. I doubt that you could keep them alive in the Houston area. If anyplace here has a chance, It would be Bear Creek or west side. Believe it or not, I still have 2 cherry trees. A royal ranier and a lapins. My lapins is @6 to 7 years old and flowered and fruited for the first time this year. It only produced a few blooms and fruit, so I did not net it for birds. The birds ate the few that it made. The lapins is on GM61 and doesn't seem to be as susceptable to canker. Waiting to see what happens next year.

I live near LAX and have a Royal Lee and Minnie Lee. The Royal Lee is a big vigorous tree entering its 5th year. My first Minnie Lee died in its 3rd year, but its replacement is now 2 years old and also vigorous. There is a very brief overlap in their flowering periods. Both trees start blooming in February. The Minnie Lee finished blooming in early March, while the Royal is just finishing end of April. The Minnie Lee was quite productive, the Royal Lee less so. Pity, because the Royal Lee produces better fruit. There is a new self-fertile low cherry called Royal Crimson which also serves as a pollinator whose bloom period reportedly spans Minnie Lee and Royal Lee. I drove to the Green Thumb nursery in Simi Valley to find them, but I bought and planted two Royal Crimsons last year. They are still practically twigs, but one of them actually bloomed and produced a single cherry.