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Cherry Trees

Every garden should have a cherry tree, for their irresistible fruit and beautiful blossom. They’re easy to care for and some varieties are even suitable for growing in pots on the patio. Our premium, bush-trained trees are grown outdoors in the South Downs on a family run farm where they’ve been doing things the traditional way for over a century. This makes the trees extra hardy and productive, giving you more bites of the cherry, sooner!

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South Downs National Park

Meet Danielle

110 years' expertise free with every tree

Danielle's nursery has been growing trees in the South Downs National Park for over a century, and it shows. Dug up and sent straight to your garden at between 18-36 months old, their quality rootstocks, expert pruning and natural pest control mean that these traditionally field-grown trees are the hardiest you can get.

Need help picking?

Which cherry tree?

Which cherry tree?

Cherries can be harvested in early, mid or late summer, depending on the variety. For sweet eating cherries, choose Summer Sun, Stella or Lapins. For pies, jams and tarts, we recommend Morello, May Duke or Kordia. Dwarfing varieties Stella and Hartland are perfect for growing in pots on the patio - choose a pot at least 45cm in diameter and position it in a sunny spot. Get more help deciding with our easy 4-step guide.

What's the deal with rootstocks?

What's the deal with rootstocks?

The eventual size of a cherry tree depends on its rootstock, so this is an important thing to consider. A tree on Colt rootstock will grow to between 3.5-5m tall, making it the best choice for large gardens and community orchards. An M26 semi dwarfing rootstock means that your cherry tree will be much more compact at 2.4-3m. Don’t worry if your favourite is on the ‘wrong’ rootstock as regular pruning can make any cherry tree fit your space.

Growers' tips

Growers' tips

Cherry trees are ideally suited for the UK climate and need little care. They will benefit from an annual mulch and a potassium-rich feed in the growing season. Growing your cherry tree in full sun will give you more blossom and fruit, but they will also tolerate partial shade. Protect the delicate buds against late frosts with a horticultural fleece and prune annually to keep a neat shape. If you only want one tree, choose a self fertile variety - partially self fertile trees (May Duke and Summer Sun) will benefit from a pollination partner and non self fertile trees (Kordia) will need one.

Using your cherries

Using your cherries

Sweet cherries need nothing extra - just eat them fresh from the tree. Sour cherries need to be cooked to enjoy them, and can be made into pies, liqueurs and jams - black forest gateau is a must! Try making your crop into a traditional bakewell tart or show them off in a clafoutis, but make sure you save some for breakfast - stir them into Greek yogurt with a swirl of honey or fold them into pancakes.

Cherry Trees FAQs

How do I plant a cherry tree?

Potted cherry trees can be planted all year round, while bare root cherry trees are planted while dormant over winter. See our full tree planting guide for all the info on positioning, digging, staking and watering your new tree.

Where do cherry trees grow best?

Cherry trees love full sun and will produce the most blossom and fruit in sunny spots, but they also tolerate partial shade. Grow in well-drained, slightly acidic soil against a sunny wall or fence. Dwarf cherry trees can also grow in pots.

Do cherries grow on trees?

Cherries do grow on trees. We divide these into fruiting cherry trees, which produce a tasty and edible harvest, and ornamental cherry trees, which produce berries best left to the birds and are instead valued for their blossom.

How tall will a cherry tree grow?

Our cherry trees are grafted to rootstocks that encourage fast fruiting and limit growth to a manageable size for regular gardens. Most grow to an eventual size of around 4m tall and 4m spread, though dwarf varieties would reach at most 2m.

How fast do cherry trees grow?

Cherry trees are pretty fast growing. A standard cherry tree can grow between 30-60cm a year, while a dwarf variety may grow 16-20cm annually.

How long does it take for a cherry tree to bear fruit?

A cherry tree grown from a seed will take about 10 years to bear fruit. A grafted young cherry tree from Roots will bear fruit in about 2 years, with more substantial harvests by the fourth or fifth year.

Do I have to have two cherry trees to produce fruit?

Some cherry trees need a pollination partner to bear fruit, while others are self-fertile or partially self-fertile (though they too can produce more fruit with a partner). In built up areas it’s likely there will be another cherry tree nearby to pollinate yours, but if you have the space there’s no harm in getting two. Check each tree’s page to see if it needs a pollination partner.

What time of year do cherry trees produce fruit?

Cherry trees produce fruit in early, mid or late summer - check the product page of each variety to see when its harvest time falls.

Do cherry fruit trees blossom?

Yes, cherry fruit trees produce blossom in the spring which is pollinated to form the berries. Ornamental cherry blossom trees, however, are selected specifically for their spectacular blossom displays.

Is it safe to eat wild cherries?

Wild cherries in Britain are edible, although they may not be as sweet as cultivated varieties. Like all cherries, however, the pips contain cyanide so these shouldn’t be eaten and can be dangerous in large quantities. When foraging it’s important to know what you’re picking and don’t confuse wild cherries with any other poisonous berries.

Can you grow a cherry tree from a pit?

Technically you could grow a cherry tree from a pit, though it’s quite an involved process to prepare the pit, nurture the seedlings indoors and then grow into a tree outside. You should use pits from local cherries (rather than those from a supermarket) so they’re suited to your local climate. Also be aware that it will take up to 10 years to bear fruit from a cherry tree grown from a pit, versus about 2 years from a grafted tree.