Description
Bianco Rosato di Piemonte comes from Piedmont in northern Italy and belongs to the Marasca group, the cherries originally used to make maraschino before the name was attached to the bright red confection sold today.
The fruit is very flavorful and sweet-tart, concentrated in the way Marasca types are, and it is grown for juice, syrup and preserves more than for the fruit bowl. It is an uncommon variety that very few nurseries carry, and it is hardier and less fussy about a site than a sweet cherry.
Overview
- A Marasca-type cherry, the original maraschino fruit.
- Very flavorful and sweet-tart.
- For juice, syrup and preserves.
- An uncommon Italian variety.
Growing Details
Latin Name: Prunus cerasus ‘Bianco Rosato di Piemonte’
Site and Soil: 1/2 day to full day of sun; deep, well-drained soil
Hardiness: Hardy to USDA Zone 4
Rootstock: Mazzard F 12-1
Bearing Age: 2 to 3 years after planting
Size at Maturity: 12 to 15 ft tall and wide, easily maintained smaller with pruning
Ripening Time: Mid season; June into July
Pollination: Self-fertile; one tree sets a crop, and another sour or sweet-tart cherry nearby improves it
Pests & Diseases: Bacterial canker, brown rot and cherry fruit fly; summer pruning and airflow handle most of it
Additional Notes
- Grower’s Insight: Marasca cherries are grown for what they become rather than for eating out of hand. Plan the syrup before you plant the tree.
- 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
