Growing sour / tart cherry
stone fruit
WINTER CHILL NEEDED
~700–1200 hrs
POLLINATION
Self-fertile — one plant crops on its own
Pollination
Self-fertile - one tree crops fully.
Growing it
Zones 4-7. Smaller and hardier than sweet cherry, and largely self-pollinating; the pie cherry.
Will you get enough chill?
Sour / Tart Cherry needs roughly 700–1200 hours between 32 and 45 °F over winter to break dormancy evenly. Check your area with the chill hours calculator. Low-chill breeding has pushed many varieties well below the figure here, so read the plant tag.
Chill and pollination are given at the fruit-type level; specific cultivars can differ. Values are typical ranges for home-garden planning.