Cherry trees are widely celebrated for their beauty and fruit, yet the idea that every cherry tree yields an edible harvest is a common misunderstanding. The answer to whether all cherry trees produce fruit is simply no. The wide variety of trees have been cultivated over centuries for different purposes, leading to a fundamental split in their biology.
The Fundamental Divide: Flowering vs. Fruiting Varieties
Cherry trees are broadly categorized into two groups: ornamental (flowering) cherries, bred for aesthetics, and fruiting cherries, cultivated for culinary purposes. Ornamental varieties, such as the Japanese flowering cherries (Prunus serrulata), are prized for their spectacular spring blossoms. Their biological energy is directed toward producing an abundance of large, showy flowers, often with extra petals, which reduces or eliminates their ability to set fruit.
Many ornamental cultivars are sterile, or they may produce only small, hard, and unpalatable fruit that is quickly consumed by birds. The development of these trees prioritizes flower appearance, leaving fruit production as a non-existent trait. In contrast, fruiting varieties, which include sweet cherries (Prunus avium) and sour cherries (Prunus cerasus), have been selectively bred to maximize the size, flavor, and yield of the edible drupe.
Essential Requirements for Fruit Production
Even a fruiting variety may fail to produce a harvest if certain biological requirements are not met. Successful cherry fruit development depends heavily on two factors: effective pollination and sufficient winter chill.
Pollination is the process where pollen is transferred from the male part of a flower to the female part, initiating fruit development. Most sweet cherry varieties are “self-sterile,” meaning they require a different, compatible cherry variety planted nearby for cross-pollination. Without a suitable partner blooming simultaneously, a self-sterile tree will flower profusely but will not yield fruit.
The second requirement is the accumulation of “chilling hours,” the period a tree needs to spend in cold temperatures (typically 32 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit) during winter dormancy. This cold period is necessary to break the tree’s dormancy cycle and allow flower buds to open and develop normally in the spring. Most traditional cherry varieties require between 800 and 1,200 chilling hours. If a tree does not receive enough cold, the buds may open weakly or not at all, resulting in poor fruit set.
Key Differences Between Sweet and Sour Cherries
Fruiting cherries are divided into two main types: sweet cherries (Prunus avium) and sour cherries (Prunus cerasus). Sweet cherries, such as Bing and Rainier, are commonly consumed fresh due to their high sugar content and firm texture. They are less cold-tolerant, thriving best in USDA hardiness zones 5 through 7, and often require a compatible cross-pollinator to bear fruit.
Sour cherries, also known as tart or pie cherries, are smaller and have an acidic flavor, making them ideal for cooking, baking, or processing into preserves. Varieties like Montmorency are hardier, growing well in colder zones 4 through 6, and are predominantly self-fertile. This self-fertility allows a single sour cherry tree to produce a full crop without a second tree, benefiting gardeners with limited space.