Sweet Cherry

Prunus avium (Rosaceae) is a deciduous tree native to Europe and western Asia. It grows 60 to 80 feet tall with a pyramidal to rounded crown. White flowers in clusters of 2 to 6 appear in midspring with or just before the foliage. It is the primary species from which sweet cherry cultivars are derived. Fall color is yellow to red.

Sweet cherry grows in full sun on well-drained, fertile soil. Most cultivars require cross-pollination from a compatible variety. The species is susceptible to a long list of diseases including bacterial canker, brown rot, cherry leaf spot, and Pseudomonas blossom blast. Bird damage to the fruit is a perennial challenge. The ornamental cultivar 'Plena' features double white flowers and is widely used as a flowering tree. Hardy in Zones 3a to 8b.

Sweet cherry in the Puget Sound lowlands means accepting a spray calendar. Sixty-four diseases are documented. The ones that matter here are brown rot in wet springs, bacterial canker through pruning wounds in rain, and cherry leaf spot. Shothole is cosmetic but alarming. On the pest side, cherry fruit fly is the one that ruins the harvest; spotted wing drosophila has made it worse. Bird netting is effectively mandatory. The trees themselves grow fast and can reach 50 feet, which makes management difficult. Dwarf rootstocks (Gisela series) are the practical solution for home orchards. Site in full sun with excellent drainage; bacterial canker is worse in heavy, poorly drained soil. Prune only in dry summer weather, never in fall or winter when rain drives bacteria into wounds.

— Chris Welch, ISA Certified Arborist