Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
compatible varieties into “pollination groups,” of which there are at least nine.
To ensure effective cross-pollination, you should include in your orchard a
pollinizing variety from another pollination group. Many newer cherry vari-
eties, however, have not yet been listed in appropriate pollination groups. Use
table 6.2 as a guide in selecting pollinizing varieties.
You should purchase your trees from a reputable fruit tree nursery and
ask the nursery about suitable pollinizing varieties for the trees you pur-
chase. Tart cherries are mostly self-fruitful and usually do not require cross-
pollination.
Sweet Cherry
Despite at least 1,100 sweet cherry varieties having been named (certainly
an underestimate), only about 65 are commonly recommended in North
America, and perhaps a dozen make up the vast majority of sweet cherries
produced commercially in North America. Table6.2 lists some of the more
popular sweet cherry varieties for North America.
Sweet cherry varieties are typically rated as suitable for USDA hardiness
Zones 5 to 9, with a few varieties rated to Zone 4. Production is easiest and
most reliable in Zones 6 to 8, in arid and semiarid regions with mild climates
and abundant irrigation water. Sweet cherry trees can grow very large un-
less grown on dwarfing rootstocks and the size managed with pruning and
training.
Sweet cherries can be divided into two groups: Heart and Bigarreau types.
Heart cherries tend to be heart-shaped, although not always, and tend to be
rather soft. The color of the fruit ranges from dark with red juice to light-
colored with colorless juice. With the exception of 'Black Tartarian', Heart
cherry varieties are normally limited to home production. Bigarreau cherries
tend to be rounder and firmer than Heart cherries and make up most of the
economically important sweet cherry varieties. 'Bing' and 'Lambert' are older,
commercially important dark Bigarreau cherries, while 'Napoleon', 'Rainier',
and 'Gold' varieties are yellow to red blush-colored members of the group.
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