Description
Almost every sweet cherry needs a compatible partner, and most gardens have room for one tree. A combination tree answers that directly: three compatible varieties grafted on a single trunk, pollinating each other from the same set of branches.
The varieties ripen at different times, so the picking runs from early summer well into late rather than arriving all at once. The one skill it asks for is balanced pruning: keep the vigorous grafts cut back harder, or they take over from the shier ones within a few seasons.
Overview
- Three compatible sweet cherries on one trunk.
- Self-pollinating as a unit; no second tree needed.
- A staggered harvest from early summer into late.
- Standard size, easily held smaller with pruning.
Growing Details
Latin Name: Prunus avium
Site and Soil: 1/2 day to full day of sun; deep, well-drained soil
Hardiness: Hardy to USDA Zone 5
Rootstock: Mazzard F 12-1
Bearing Age: 2 to 3 years after planting
Size at Maturity: 12 to 16 ft tall and wide, easily maintained smaller with pruning
Ripening Time: Early to late season; June into August
Pollination: The grafted varieties pollinate each other; no second tree is needed
Pests & Diseases: Bacterial canker, brown rot and cherry fruit fly; summer pruning and airflow handle most of it
Additional Notes
- Grower’s Insight: Prune the strongest graft hardest. A combination tree fails when one variety is allowed to dominate the others.
- Regional Insight: Cherries want a real winter and a dry spell at ripening; where June rain is common, airflow and a crack-resistant variety matter most.
- Explore more cherry trees in our collection: Cherry Trees
