Description
Bing is the highest quality fresh-shipping cherry grown anywhere in the country, and it has held that position for over a century. The fruit is large and nearly round, dark red to black, with firm, juicy, very sweet flesh and a stone that is small for the size of the cherry.
The one thing to get right is the partner. Bing, Royal Ann and Lambert are cross-incompatible: they cannot pollinate each other, whatever else you have been told. Van, Black Tartarian, Rainier and Stella all work. Bing is also very susceptible to rain cracking, so plant it where the air moves.
Overview
- Large, nearly black, firm fruit; the benchmark sweet cherry.
- Dark red, juicy, very sweet flesh with a small stone.
- Mid-season ripening, about a week after Royal Ann.
- Must NOT be paired with Royal Ann or Lambert.
Growing Details
Latin Name: Prunus avium ‘Bing’
Site and Soil: 1/2 day to full day of sun; deep, well-drained soil
Hardiness: Hardy to USDA Zone 5
Chill Requirement: About 700 hours
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: Mid season; June into July
Pollination: Needs a second sweet cherry; Van, Black Tartarian, Rainier and Stella work, but NOT Royal Ann or Lambert
Pests & Diseases: Bacterial canker, brown rot and cherry fruit fly; summer pruning and airflow handle most of it
Additional Notes
- Grower’s Insight: The classic mistake is planting Bing with a Royal Ann or a Lambert. Those three cannot pollinate each other and you get a beautiful tree and no cherries.
- 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
