Prunus avium 'Compact Stella'

Description

Also known as a compact modified Bing, this is a tasty, black cherry. Self-fertile, it is an excellent universal pollinator. Bonus: it does not crack in rainy weather! On dwarf root stock.

Care/Maintenance

Plant cherry trees in full sun, in areas with moist, but well drained soil. Cherries do best in hotter, drier climates. Avoid planting in low-lying frost pockets or areas with poor drainage. Most sweet cherry varieties require another cherry in the area for pollination. However, some are self-fertile – these varieties will produce fruit on their own. Sour cherries and sweet cherries will pollinate each other if they flower at the same time. Cherries are usually ready for harvesting in July. Prune cherry trees when they are dormant in late fall or winter. Remove dead, damages and diseased branches. The goal is to have open centre to maximize the amount of air and light that can penetrate into the tree. Spray dormant oil and lime sulphur combination to kill over wintering insects in late winter or early spring. Apply a fruit tree and berry fertilizer in early spring as growth begins.