| Flowering Groups |
| Groups | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
Universal
Donors | Goodnestone Black
Nutberry Black
Merchant
Newstar (SF) | Goodnestone Black
Nutberry Black
Merchant
Newstar (SF) | Black Oliver
Bullock’s Heart
Hertford
Celeste (SF)
Santina (SF)
Sandra Rose (SF)
Sonata (SF)
Sweetheart (SF)
Summer Sun (Semi SF) | Merla
Smoky Dun
Stella (SF)
Skeena (SF)
Sunburst (SF) | Florence
Smoky Heart | - |
A | Early Rivers
Mercat | Bedford Prolific
Circassian
Knight’s Early Black
Black Tartarian A | Roundel
Tillingon Black | Black Downton
Ronald’s Heart
Summit | - | - |
B | Windsor
Samba | Bigarreau de Schrecken
Waterloo
Merton Favourite | Frogmore Early
Merton Bigarreau
Merton Bounty
Van
Regina | Belle Agathe
Merton Crane
Cristalina | Victoria Black A
Black Elton | - |
C | - | Bigarreau de Mezel | Merton Marvel
C17-5 | Emperor Francis
Napoleon Bigarreau
Ohio Beauty | - | - |
D | - | - | Merton Premier
Vega | Kent Bigarreau (Amber) | West Midlands Bigarreau | - |
E | - | Turkey Heart | - | - | Little Black Bigarreau | - |
F | Werders E Black | Merton Heart | Early Amber
Governor Wood
Elton Heart
Kordia | - | - | - |
G | - | - | Bigarreau de Mezel | - | Bigarreau Gaucher Hooker’s Black | Bradbourne Black
Geante de Hedelfinge |
| H | - | - | Peggy Rivers | - | - | - |
| I | Red Turk | Symphony | Rainier
Sylvia
| Merton Reward | Merton Late | - |
| J | Ramon Oliva | Biggareau Jaboulay | Penny
C18-28
| - | - | - |
| K | Guigne d'Annonay | - | - | - | - | - |
| L | - | - | - | - | Caroon A | Noble |
| M | Noir de Guben | - | - | - | - | - |
| N | - | - | - | - | Colney | - |
O | - | - | Zoe (C18-19) | - | - | - |
Cherry Tree Pollination
Cherry tree pollination can be easy peasy or really complicated. If you want one cherry tree to produce fruit then simply buy a self fertile one. These are indicated in the chart above by having (SF) next to their name and they are all listed in the Universal Donor row.
However, some people like the different tastes and attributes of non-self fertile cherry trees which then means you will need another cherry tree planted nearby (closer the better) for both trees to produce cherry fruit.
Usually the selection process for a pollination partner is very simple. You would select your first tree based on the attributes you like e.g. taste, colour, size etc. Then you would buy a different tree in the same flowering group or one above or one below e.g. if you liked a tree in flowering group 3, you could choose any other from flowering groups 2, 3 or 4 and both would produce fruit. The reason for this is the number is an indication of when the tree produces blossom. For fruit to be produced, one tree has to have its blossoms showing at the same time or just before or after the other tree so that bees, wasps, the wind etc can send pollen from one tree to the other.
For some reason, cherry trees are a real pain in the rear. Certain cherry trees could have their blossoms open at the exact same time and not cross pollinate to produce cherries. So this means you have to refer to the above chart so you can be sure to have selected two cherry trees that will.
Putting aside universal donors for now, the general rule is you need to pick your two cherry trees from the same row and from the same flowering group or 1 above or 1 below. So if you want a cherry tree from B3 then your pollination partner must come from B2, B3 or B4, if you want a cherry in F3 then the pollination partner must come from F2, F3 or F4.
Universal donors are very handy. They still need to be in the same flowering group or one up or one down but they can move down to any row in the chart e.g. a universal donor in flowering group 3 will pollinate another other cherry tree in flowering groups 2,3 or 4 and from any row.
Any questions, call us 0800 043 10 57
