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Sour Cherry

Prunus cerasus

Fruit treeDeciduousFrost HardyToxic

Sour cherry (Prunus cerasus) is a small, often bushy deciduous fruit tree with thin, partly hanging shoots that bears white flowers in spring and acidic red to dark red cherries in summer. It is less demanding of site and soil than sweet cherry and, flowering later, is less exposed to late frost.

Overview

Height3–5 m
Crown diameter3–6 m
Root systemNot reliably documented
ShadeLight shade
SunFull Sun
WaterMedium
HardinessUSDA zones 3–8
Chilling requirement600–1500 hours between 0 and 7 °C

Seasons

Flowering (Central Europe)Apr, May
Harvest (Central Europe)Jul

Planting time for bare-root trees. Container trees can be planted whenever the soil is workable.

Companion Planting

Good Companions

  • Sweet Cherry

    Partly self-fertile sour cherry cultivars such as 'Karneol' set more fruit when a sweet cherry or another sour cherry flowers nearby as pollinator.

Bad Companions

None

Only relations with a documented cause are listed.

Toxicity

SeverityModerately toxic
Toxic toHumans, Dogs, Cats

Leaves, stems and seed kernels contain cyanogenic glycosides that release hydrogen cyanide; kernels are more poisonous when crushed or chewed. The fruit flesh is edible.

Planting Tips

LocationFull sun gives the best crops, but it tolerates partial shade (RHS: even a north-facing wall is possible). Suited to small gardens because it stays around 3-4 m.
SoilPermeable, moist but well-drained soil; tolerates acid to alkaline pH. Rootstock can compensate for soil: F 12/1 or 'Alkavo' for cool calcareous soils, Prunus mahaleb / MaxMa 14 for light, shallow, warm and dry sites.
WateringWater young trees regularly in dry spells during the first year; established trees on vigorous rootstocks seldom need watering.
FertilizingNo extra feeding on mulched soil; apply a general fertiliser in early spring only if crops or growth are poor.

Care Tip: Prune every year in summer right after harvest. Cultivars fruiting on one-year wood ('Schattenmorelle', 'Morellenfeuer') go bald and droop unless old shoots are cut back to a young shoot. Remove Monilia-infected shoot tips well into healthy wood; tolerant cultivars include 'Morina', 'Safir' and 'Karneol'.

Sources