Bigarreau Marmotte

‘Bigarreau Marmotte’ is an old French variety originating from Jussy in the Yonne, renowned for the quality of its large cherries and the tree’s high productivity.

The large to very large fruit is rounded to slightly elongated. Its glossy skin becomes a rich red to dark red when fully ripe. The stalk is particularly short and the stone relatively small in proportion to the fruit.

The red flesh is firm, fleshy and crisp, while remaining abundantly juicy. Its flavour is richly sweet, balanced by a pleasant acidity and a distinctive aroma. The fruit should be picked when fully ripe so that its sugars are fully developed and any slight bitterness has disappeared.

Harvest generally takes place during the second half of June and may continue into early July in cooler regions. The cherries are excellent for eating fresh, while their firm flesh is also suitable for tarts, clafoutis, jams and preserves.

The tree is very vigorous, semi-upright, quick to begin cropping and generally highly fertile. The variety is self-sterile and has the incompatibility genotype S3S4. Suitable pollinators include ‘Early Rivers’, ‘Burlat’, ‘Moreau’ and ‘Van’. It is incompatible with ‘Napoléon’, which belongs to the same incompatibility group.