Name: Cherry Tree (Royal Rainier) | Bare-Root Pre-Order
SKU: Cherry Tree (Royal Rainier)
Availability: InStock

Cherry Tree (Royal Rainier)

Royal Rainier carries large yellow cherries blushed with red, sweet and full flavored, ripening in early to mid summer on a productive tree.

Large yellow fruit with a red blush, sweet and full flavored.
Ripens early to mid summer, in the main cherry run.
A bountiful harvest once the tree is established.
Firm flesh that handles well from tree to kitchen.
Needs a second sweet cherry nearby; Bing, Rainier, Van, Stella and Lapins all work.

Shop both locations freely. Picking up? Choose your location at checkout. Shipping? Stock location does not matter, we will handle it. Combined orders may take 3 to 7 days.

Total in stock: -

Arrives healthy, guaranteed. Problem within 14 days? Send a photo and we replace it or credit you.

Ships in 1 to 4 business days from our nursery in Washington state, in a 36 inch box.

Description

Royal Rainier is a blush cherry in the Rainier mould: large, yellow with a red blush, sweet and full flavored, ripening early to mid summer. It is grown for the same reasons, which is the eating quality of a pale cherry at its best.

The tree is productive once established and wants what every sweet cherry wants: deep well-drained ground, real sun, air movement to keep canker down, and a compatible second sweet cherry within about 50 feet.

Overview

Large yellow fruit with a red blush.
Sweet and full flavored, ripening early to mid summer.
Productive once established.
Needs a compatible second sweet cherry.

Growing Details

Latin Name: Prunus avium ‘Royal Rainier’
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 to 900 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 nearby; Bing, Rainier, Van, Stella and Lapins all work
Pests & Diseases: Bacterial canker, brown rot and cherry fruit fly; summer pruning and airflow handle most of it

Additional Notes

Grower’s Insight: Blush cherries show every bruise, so pick into a shallow tray and handle them once.
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

Planting & Care

At a Glance – Royal Rainier Cherry

Sun: 1/2 day to full day of sun
Soil: Deep, well-drained soil; never a wet spot
Water: Deep watering through the first two summers, then in dry spells
Size: 12 to 16 ft tall and wide, easily maintained smaller with pruning
Pollination: Needs a second sweet cherry nearby; Bing, Rainier, Van, Stella and Lapins all work
Harvest: Midsummer
Hardiness: Hardy to USDA Zone 5

Planting & Care – Royal Rainier Cherry

Site Selection

Full sun, with air moving through the canopy.
Cherries will not take wet feet; avoid anywhere water stands in winter.

Soil Preparation

Deep, well-drained ground matters more than rich ground.
Work in compost, and plant on a slight mound where drainage is doubtful.

Planting Instructions

Dig a hole twice the width of the root ball and no deeper.
Keep the graft union a few inches clear of the soil line.
Backfill, firm gently, and water thoroughly.
Mulch 2 to 3 inches deep, kept well off the trunk.

Watering & Fertilizing

Water deeply through the first two summers while the roots establish.
After that, water in dry spells, especially while the fruit sizes.
Feed lightly in early spring; too much nitrogen invites canker.

Pollination

Needs a second sweet cherry nearby; Bing, Rainier, Van, Stella and Lapins all work.
A pollination partner should be within about 50 feet.

Pruning & Training

Prune in summer after harvest, never in winter.
Summer cuts heal fast and cut the risk of bacterial canker.
Keep the centre open so air and light reach the fruit.

Harvest & Use

Pick once the blush deepens and the fruit gives slightly.
Best fresh, where the pale flesh and sweetness carry.

General Tips

Net the tree as the fruit colours, or the birds will take the crop.

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