Which variety of cherry tree to choose according to the cherries ?

There are hundreds of varieties of cherry trees whose fruits have very specific characteristics. We thus have a choice and everyone can plant cherry trees according to the cherries they prefer. From morello cherry to guigne, via amarelle and bigarreau, let’s discover the various flavors of these delicious fruits and see which type of cherry to choose according to the type of fruit it produces.

General view of cherry trees

Cherry trees belong to the family of Rosaceae. They belong to the genus Prunus. When one wishes to plant one or more cherry trees, the choice of variety is guided by the harvest periodearly or late, but also of course by the cherry flavor they produce and theutilisation what we want to do with it. Some are eaten as is, others raw or cooked, while still others are much better cooked.

There are different categories of cherries, namely:

Tart cherries: sour cherries et yellow,

Sweet cherries: jinxes et bigarreaux,

Sweet cherries: these cousins of morello cherries are real cherriesjuicy and sweet, very slightly acidic.

A cherry tree must also be chosen according to the place dont on dispose since some become more cumbersome than others in adulthood and are therefore to be reserved for large orchards. If you only have a well-oriented terrace, you can still have fun with a dwarf cherry tree that supports container culture.

Finally, it is essential before making your selection to know if it is self-fertile cherry trees or non autofertiles (we also say self-sterile). The former do not need another variety to be pollinated and then produce fruit. This means that even if they are grown in isolation, their fruit set is sufficient. However, it can be increased when these cherry trees are planted at a short distance from other varieties. The second (non-self-fertile) cannot be fertilized by their own pollen, they must be planted near another variety because they need a cross pollination to be productive. In the latter cases, it is not necessary to plant several cherry trees if there are already some in the neighboring gardens since, generally, a distance of 25 to 30 meters between these fruit trees is sufficient.

Tips for choosing a cherry tree

Now let’s take a quick look at some of the varieties of cherry trees to plant, their particularities, the flowering and harvesting periods as well as the specificities of their fruits.

Morello cherry

It is a tart cherry, with a slightly sweet flavor, which can of course be eaten raw, but it is better cooked.

Variety

Specificities

Beginning of flowering

Start of harvest

Fruit

Beautiful Gorgeous. Other name: Belle de Chatenay

Old variety, self-fertile, very productive.

Late March, early April

Mid-July

Large cherries Pinkish white flesh, moderately sweet and refreshing, fine, both firm and melting.

Beauty of Montmorency

A self-fertile cherry tree of great robustness able to tolerate all our climates well. No need to fertilize it. It is therefore an ideal variety for small plots.

End of March

Early June

Medium-sized cherries, bright red and soft-fleshed. Ideal in jams, canned, they are also used to make brandies.

Northern Morello cherry locally called Grosse in Ratafia

Griottier auto fertile.

Avril

June July

Large black cherries, with soft flesh, juicy, acid and not very sweet.

The amarelle

Other sour cherry, amarelle is a fruit of light color and whose juice is colorless. Amarelle must be cooked. It is made into eaux-de-vie, pies, jams or even candied fruit. The main variety of amarelle is the cerise montmorencyso that they are commonly called montmorency.

Variety	Specificities	Bloom	Harvest	Fruit
Cerise montmorency	Do not confuse the amarelle type with the ‘Montmorency’ variety of morello cherry.	Avril	June	Small sour cherries with clear juice to be cooked in jam or canned. Also very good for making brandied cherries.

The bad luck

This little cherry has soft flesh. It is best eaten cooked in compote, in clafoutis, as an accompaniment to game when incorporated into a sauce, but it can also be used to make delicious and refreshing juices. It can also be eaten as a table fruit.

This type of cherry tree is a hybrid obtained from wild cherry Prunus avium and cherry tree Prunus cherry. The guignier is grafted onto a cherry tree. It is self-fertile, but it turns out to be much more productive when a bigarreau cherry tree is nearby.

Variety	Specificities	Bloom	Harvest	Fruit
Early rivers	This early cherry tree is self-fertile, but it produces more if it is pollinated by a Bigarreau cherry of the Burlat or Napoleon type.	From March	Fine May	Small, dark red cherries with tender, juicy, fragrant and sweet flesh. Perfect raw but also cooked to prepare jams.
Beauty of May	A cherry tree to pollinate for a more abundant production.	Avril	May June	Small bright red cherries with colored juice and soft flesh with a hint of acidity.

Le bigarreau

Whether white or redbigarreau cherries are at small core, and their firm and pleasantly crunchy flesh is very sweet. On the stalls of our markets, cherries represent almost 90% of the cherries marketed.

The fruit tree is, like the guignier, a hybrid of wild cherry and cherry.

Variety	Specificities	Bloom	Harvest	Fruit
Bigarreau Cordia	Produces more if planted near a Van cherry tree	Mi-mars	July	Large dark red cherry, sweet and very tasty to taste as soon as you pick it
Bigarreau Napoléon	Must be associated with a Bigarreau Van or a Bigarreau Burlat to bear fruit	End of March	Beginning of July	Light red to cream cherry, white flesh,

Bigarreau Summit	Self-fertile but higher yield if planted near other cherry trees	At the beginning of April	Mid-June	Very large bright bright red cherry, of great taste quality. Its very juicy flesh is ultra fragrant. It is eaten in the tree and flavors a fruit salad.
Bigarreau Burlat	Not self-fertile, it is planted not far from one of the following varieties: Van, Reverchon, Napoleon, Cherry tree with early production, hardy, which can be grown in mountainous areas up to 800 m altitude. This cherry tree produces without doubt one of the best varieties of cherries.	Early spring, or even late winter depending on the region	From mid-May to end of June	Very large purple and shiny cherry, with firm flesh, crunchy, particularly fragrant and very juicy. Eaten fresh or cooked. Holds up well to storage in jars and in the freezer.
Bigarreau Reverchon	To improve production, it is recommended to plant a Burlat cherry tree less than 5 m away.	At the beginning of April	End of June or beginning of July	Very large deep purple cherries with pink or brownish red streaks. Their flesh is crunchy, tangy and very sweet. These fruits are resistant to splitting.
Pigeon Heart Bigarreau	Originally from Anjou, this old variety is self-fertile, but production can be increased by combining it with a Napoleon, a Burlat or a Van.	Late March, early April	Mid-June	Heart-shaped cherries, carmine red and yellow in color, very shiny, with pale yellow flesh, very firm and crunchy, sweet and tangy.
Bigarreau Moreau	Very productive. To be pollinated with a bigarreau of the Napoleon type.	March April	Fine May	Dark red table cherries, crunchy, with tasty sweet flesh.

Real cherries, also called sweet cherries

These are old varieties of which here are the most representative.

Variety	Specificities	Bloom	Harvest	Fruit
Empress Eugenie	Very old self-fertile variety.	Avril	Mid-July	Large-caliber, pleasant-tasting crimson cherries.
Hasty English	Old self-fertile variety.	End of March	June	Garnet cherries whose transparent flesh is juicy, tangy and sweet.

All you have to do is make the right choice to meet your requirements, and plant your cherry tree(s) according to the rules.