Choosing a Dwarf Cherry Tree

Last summer, the kids and I went cherry picking in Michigan, and the U-Pick cherries were fantastic. This winter, that had me thinking that because we can't drive three hours to the cherry orchard every summer, it might be nice to bring the cherries to my backyard. So I spent some time perusing the catalogs and the Internet for a cherry tree that might fit into my landscaping.

In addition to the fruits, cherry trees offer blossoms in the spring. Thus they can be attractive--and productive--specimen plants in the home garden.

Most home gardeners will want to look for a smaller tree, described as "dwarf" or "semi-dwarf." Often, dwarf or semi-dwarf cherry trees are actually two different plants grafted together. In a grafted tree, a branch or stem of a desirable cherry variety is combined with the roots of another cherry variety that will keep the tree small. A typical semi-dwarf variety of cherry tree is about 15 feet tall. Dwarf cherry trees are even smaller. A few types of dwarf cherries grown on their own roots (without grafting) are available.

If you are only planting one cherry tree and you have no neighbors with cherry trees, you will need a self-pollinating tree. As I learned, many types of cherry trees require pollination by a different variety to produce fruit. Self-pollinating cherry trees will produce fruit without another tree nearby. I chose a self-pollinating tree, because I only had space for one plant.

Another consideration is the type of cherry. Pie cherries are naturally somewhat sour and often used for canning, baking, or freezing in sugar syrup. They are known for their flavor but often not eaten fresh. Sweet cherries are (as expected) sweeter and usually eaten as fresh fruit.

Often, it's best to order cherry trees over the Internet. Trees are shipped bare-root (without soil) in early spring, which is the appropriate time for planting. As popular varieties sometimes sell out, gardeners may wish to order their trees during the winter.

Because my space was very limited, and because I had a coupon, I ordered the Carmine Jewel dwarf cherry tree from Gurney's. This is a shrub grown on its own roots that, when full-size, is only about 6-7 feet tall. Because it is grown on its own roots, it should be a bit more cold-hardy than a grafted tree. Other bush cherry options from Gurney's are the Nanking and the Hansen's Bush Pie Cherry.

I have had good success growing apple trees from Stark Brothers. Self-pollinating varieties of sweet cherry trees that the company sells include Blackgold (dwarf) and Starkrimson (dwarf and semi-dwarf). Baloton is a self-pollinating pie cherry available as a dwarf tree. Stark Brothers 2-N-One cherry features two types of cherries grafted onto a single root stock. It is self-pollinating and suitable for home gardeners.