Growing sweet cherry
stone fruit
Pollination
Most need a second compatible sweet cherry. Self-fertile exceptions: 'Stella', 'Lapins', 'Black Gold', 'Sweetheart' - one of these can also pollinate the others.
Growing it
Zones 5-8. Needs well-drained soil; splits in rain near harvest. Net against birds.
Where sweet cherry grows best
Hardy in zones 5-8, and it needs enough winter cold - about 700-1200 chill hours - to flower and fruit well. Combining the two:
Good fit across most of: Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia. Also parts of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, District of Columbia, Georgia, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
Will you get enough chill?
Sweet 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.
Questions gardeners ask
What zone does sweet cherry grow in?
Sweet Cherry grows in USDA hardiness zones 5-8. In the warmest of those (zone 8), winters may be too mild to give the chill it needs, so choose low-chill varieties there.
How many chill hours does sweet cherry need?
Roughly 700-1200 hours between 32 and 45°F over winter, depending on the variety. Low-chill varieties need less - check the plant tag, and estimate your own area with the chill hours calculator.
Does sweet cherry need a pollinator?
Needs a pollination partner. Most need a second compatible sweet cherry. Self-fertile exceptions: 'Stella', 'Lapins', 'Black Gold', 'Sweetheart' - one of these can also pollinate the others.
Which states can grow sweet cherry?
Sweet Cherry suits most of Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan and 10 more, and parts of 25 other states where the right zones occur. Your own zone and chill hours matter more than the state.
Chill and pollination are given at the fruit-type level; specific cultivars can differ. Values are typical ranges for home-garden planning.