Varieties of Sour Cherry Trees

When it comes to cherries, most people think of Bings or Raniers, but these sweet cherries are far from the only varieties. Sour cherries, used in cooking and baking, are seldom found fresh in the grocery store. You can use canned cherries or preserves, or if you live in the right climate, you could try growing one of the many varieties of sour cherry trees.

According to the Arbor Day Foundation, the Montmorency cherry is the most popular sour cherry in the United States for preserves and pies. Like other sour cherry trees, it is self-fertile, so there is no need to plant another tree to fertilize it. The fruit ripens early in the growing season, and the tree is considered hardy through USDA zone 4.

The English Morello is an old variety of cherry that was first introduced in the United States in the mid- 1800s. It ripens late in the growing season, producing dark red fruit. The juice is often used in brandies or liqueurs. All cherry trees require a period of cold weather, or 'chill', to set fruit properly, but the English Morello requires less than many other varieties. This makes the English Morello suitable as far south as USDA zone 9. It's hardy as far north as zone 4.

As the name implies, the Early Richmond ripens early in the growing season, producing bright red fruit. With a mature height averaging only 15 feet, it's suitable for gardeners with smaller yards. It's also adaptable to less than ideal soil conditions, and has good drought tolerance. The Early Richmond is suitable for USDA zones 4 through 8.

Since its introduction in the 1950s, the Northstar has become a popular choice for home gardens. It is a small tree, only 6 to 10 feet tall at full height, so it is easy to harvest the ripe fruit. It is also a beautiful ornamental tree. It has dark glossy leaves with showy white flowers in the spring, and deep red fruit in the summer. The Northstar is disease-resistant and very cold hardy through zone 4.

Carmine Jewel is a new variety released by the University of Saskatchewan (Canada). It's one of the hardiest cultivars available, fully hardy up to USDA zone 2. Carmine Jewel is another small tree that fits well into home gardens, as it grows to only 6 feet tall and is showy enough to consider as an ornamental. It self-pollinates, but having another cherry nearby will increase productivity.

Native to China and Japan, the Nanking cherry is also known as the Manchu cherry. It is more accurately considered a shrub rather than a tree, with a spreading growth habit that works well as a hedge. Its small flowers are not as showy as other varieties, but it is cold hardy up to USDA zone 2 and is relatively drought tolerant.