I gather this forum is mostly NW based but I'm looking for some cherry information and it's pretty hard to come by for a newcomer to fruit trees in Northern Virginia (zone 7). I'm looking for a sour cherry that will fit in a very small space in full sun, and I mean very small, like a tree that won't get higher than (or can be pruned to) about 6 feet. Ideally one that also looks nice. From what I can gather I think I'm looking at getting a dwarf North Star or Montmorency (on the Gisela 5 rootstock?). But I also wondered if anyone has tried the Carmine Jewel that Gurney's sells or the dwarf Surecrop from Stark Bros. Are there any other recommended suppliers to look at?
Any advice on this matter would be welcome, it's been very difficult to find solid info on a tree that will fit both the size and climate requirements.
Thanks!
It will be difficult. North Star can easily be pruned to fit in those parameters. However, it tends to have a lot of diseases here in the NW. It is from Minnesota. Most of the bush/very small pie cherries tend to do well in places like Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Minnesota or even the deserts of Utah. My sense is that they would have even more diseases in Virginia than here, due to high humidity and wet heat of summer there. Montmorency does fine here and would probably do fine there, if pruned properly. My best bet would be to call some of the better nurseries for these things. Raintree was honest with me and just said, Don't plant bush cherries on the west side of the Cascades in the NW. I bet they would be honest with you. Theresa was the horticulturist a few years ago. She still may be there. ST. Lawrence Nurseries, Burnt Ridge, and One Green World also have pie cherries. You could also check with your state extension agent.
Probably my best guess would be a Montmorency on a dwarfing rootstock, but I would call the others first.
John S
PDX OR
You may have to invent it yourself. I grafted Montmorency on bush cherry stock from North China and it took, so that would probably work for you. The top of the plant gets diseases like the others. The roots are fine, and it even grows from cuttings. Montmorency doesn't have too many disease problems, but it's a tree normally.
John S
PDX OR
Thanks John, looks like maybe a dwarf Montmorency is the best bet. I've tried to find local nurseries but there don't seem to be any that do fruit trees. I admit I would have no idea how to go about grafting so as appealing as that sounds I think it's beyond me at the moment. I emailed Raintree but don't see a reply as yet.
Evan
Order a Surefire from Raintree. They have them on Gisela 5. Surefire is a patented sour cherry bred at Cornell New York. It is extremely late blooming helping it with late season frosts that we get in the east. http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/hort/facu ... list3.html
Idyllwild
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Marsha H
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