Grove Lab
5 Gal - Cherry Tree
$100.00
| Sale size & specs | 5-gallon nursery container. This product offers seven fruiting varieties and two ornamental varieties. All are deciduous. Sweet cherries are Prunus avium; tart cherries are Prunus cerasus. Current sale height and age vary. |
|---|---|
| Full sun? | Yes: at least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day, preferably more. Choose a site with room for the mature canopy and good air circulation. |
| Soil | Fertile, moisture-retentive, well-drained soil. Avoid waterlogged sites and standing water around roots. |
| How to plant | Remove the pot and gently correct circling roots. Dig a wide hole no deeper than the root ball. Keep the root flare at the finished soil surface and the graft union above ground. Backfill, water thoroughly, and mulch away from the trunk. |
| Mature size — fruiting | Bing Sweet, Black Tartarian, Lapins, and Stella commonly reach about 15–30 ft tall and wide on full-size rootstocks; vigorous trees can grow taller. Early Richmond is commonly 15–18 ft tall. Montmorency is commonly around 15–20 ft tall; North Star is naturally compact, about 8–10 ft tall. Rootstock and pruning affect final size; your rootstocks are unconfirmed. |
| Ground or pot? | Ground planting preferred. North Star or a tree on a suitable dwarfing rootstock may suit a large, draining container with ongoing care. Do not assume the 5-gallon nursery pot is suitable for permanent growing. |
| How often to water | Check the root ball daily during early establishment. Water slowly and deeply when it begins to dry, keeping it evenly moist without saturating it. Adjust for rainfall, heat, and drainage. Established trees need water during dry spells; check container trees daily in hot weather. |
| When does it fruit? | Usually late spring to summer, depending on variety and local weather. Young standard sweet cherries often begin bearing about 4–7 years after planting; tart cherries commonly 3–5 years. North Star can bear earlier. Rootstock, tree age, and establishment affect timing; no first-season crop is guaranteed. |
| Pollination | Bing Sweet and Black Tartarian need a different compatible sweet cherry with overlapping bloom. Lapins, Stella, Early Richmond, Montmorency, and North Star are self-fertile. Bees still help transfer pollen. Ornamental cherries do not need a second tree for their flower display. |
| Ornamental chill hours | No reliable cultivar-specific numerical chill requirement was located for Akebono or Kwanzan. Their ornamental use does not imply a sweet-cherry fruit chilling requirement. |
| Seasonal care | Prune to maintain a strong, open canopy and protect ripe fruit from birds. Rain near harvest can split sweet cherries. Spring frost, pests, and diseases can reduce flowering or fruiting; shape ornamental cherries after flowering when needed. |
| Variety | Type | Estimated chill hours | Pollination | Fruit size & flavor | Harvest order |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bing Sweet | Sweet | ≈700 | Needs a compatible sweet cherry, such as Black Tartarian or Lapins, with overlapping bloom. | Large, firm, juicy, dark-red to nearly black fruit; rich, sweet flavor. | Midseason |
| Black Tartarian | Sweet | ≈700 | Needs a compatible sweet cherry; Bing, Lapins, or Stella are examples when bloom overlaps. | Small–medium, nearly black fruit; soft, juicy flesh and rich sweetness. | Early |
| Early Richmond | Tart | ≈700 | Self-fertile; no second tree required. | Medium-sized, bright-red, juicy, tart fruit; good for pies, preserves, and canning. | Early within tart cherries |
| Lapins | Sweet | ≈500 or less | Self-fertile; no second tree required. | Large, firm, dark-red fruit with sweet flavor; similar in shape to Bing. | After Bing |
| Montmorency | Tart | ≈500 | Self-fertile; no second tree required. | Large, light-red fruit with yellow flesh and a tangy, tart flavor; classic pie cherry. | Midseason within tart cherries |
| North Star | Tart | ≈500 | Self-fertile; no second tree required. | Large, meaty, red-skinned fruit with red juice and tart flavor; good for pies and cobblers. | Midseason within tart cherries |
| Stella | Sweet | ≈400 | Self-fertile; no second tree required. | Large, dark-red to nearly black fruit with rich, sweet flavor. | Late |
| Variety | Mature height & width | Flowers & seasonal features | Fruit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Akebono (Ornamental) | About 25 ft tall × 25 ft wide | Delicate pink spring blossoms; spreading canopy and yellow fall foliage. | Grown for flowers; an edible harvest is not expected. |
| Kwanzan (Ornamental) | About 30 ft tall × 20 ft wide | Double rosy-pink spring flowers; vase-shaped canopy and bronze-orange fall color. | Typically fruitless; grown for its flower display. |
Chill hours are approximate published winter-cold requirements; estimates vary among sources and climates. Harvest order is relative within each fruit type, not a guaranteed date. Mature size depends on cultivar, rootstock, site, and pruning; Fruit size and flavor vary with ripeness and growing conditions.