Name: Sweetheart Cherry Tree | Late-Season Self-Fertile Sweet Cherry
SKU: Cherry Tree (Sweetheart)
Availability: InStock

Cherry Tree (Sweetheart)

Sweetheart is the last sweet cherry of the season and it sets a full crop on its own, so one tree carries the tail end of the harvest with no partner required.

Self-fertile: one tree crops without a second cherry.
The latest of the sweet cherries, after Lapins has finished.
Bright red, firm fruit with good, clean flavor.
Consistent and productive once established.
Stretches the cherry season by two or three weeks at the back.

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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

Sweetheart closes the sweet cherry season. It ripens after Lapins, which is itself a late variety, so a single tree puts fresh cherries on the table weeks after everyone else has finished picking.

It is self-fertile, so no partner is needed, and it crops consistently once established. The fruit is bright red and firm with a clean, good flavor, and the tree is upright and manageable on Mazzard with an annual summer prune.

Overview

Self-fertile; one tree is enough.
The latest sweet cherry, ripening after Lapins.
Bright red, firm fruit with clean flavor.
Consistent and productive.

Growing Details

Latin Name: Prunus avium ‘Sweetheart’
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 800 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: Late season; July into August
Pollination: Self-fertile; one tree sets a full crop without a partner
Pests & Diseases: Bacterial canker, brown rot and cherry fruit fly; summer pruning and airflow handle most of it

Additional Notes

Grower’s Insight: Plant this one with an early variety and you stretch the picking from early June into August off two trees.
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 – Sweetheart 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: Self-fertile; one tree sets a full crop without a partner
Harvest: Late summer
Hardiness: Hardy to USDA Zone 5

Planting & Care – Sweetheart 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

Self-fertile; one tree sets a full crop without a partner.
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 late in the season once the fruit is firm and bright red.
Excellent fresh; firm enough to keep well after picking.

General Tips

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

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