Cherries, botanically classified as drupes or stone fruits, are highly seasonal produce. The short window of availability makes understanding their growth cycle and harvest times important for both agricultural interest and consumer planning. The precise timing of when a cherry is ready to pick depends on biology, variety, and geographic location. This dependency on specific environmental cues means the answer to “when do cherries grow” spans from winter dormancy to global sourcing.
The Cherry Life Cycle: From Bud to Bloom
The annual cherry growth cycle begins not in spring, but in the preceding winter with a necessary period of dormancy. Cherry trees require a specific number of “chill hours,” which are periods when temperatures remain between 32°F and 45°F (0°C to 7°C). This cold exposure is a biological signal that allows the buds to properly exit dormancy, ensuring a uniform and healthy bloom once spring arrives. Sweet cherry varieties often require a higher number of chill hours, sometimes between 900 and 1,200, compared to the 500 to 900 hours needed by tart varieties.
Once the chilling requirement is met and temperatures consistently rise, the tree undergoes bud break, typically in early spring. This phase leads quickly to the flowering stage, which occurs around April in the Northern Hemisphere. Pollination is a brief but critical window, often lasting only 7 to 14 days, where bees transfer pollen between compatible varieties.
Successful pollination results in the fruit setting, where the flower transforms into a small, green cherry. Sweet cherries generally ripen approximately 60 to 70 days after this bloom period. The fruit rapidly develops, turning from green to its mature color, such as the deep red of a Bing or the blush of a Rainier, which signals readiness for harvest.
Peak Harvest Seasons for Sweet and Tart Varieties
The primary harvest for cherries in North America is concentrated in a short summer window, generally running from late May through August. The exact peak timing is dictated by the type of cherry and the specific region where it is grown. Sweet cherries, such as the popular Bing and Rainier varieties, are typically the first to ripen, with the season often beginning in late May in warmer areas like California.
The peak harvest for sweet cherries generally occurs in June and early July across the main western growing regions like Washington and Oregon. Tart cherries, primarily the Montmorency variety used for cooking and processing, follow a slightly later schedule. These tart fruits are mainly harvested in the Midwestern United States, especially Michigan, with their season typically beginning in July.
This difference in timing means consumers can find sweet cherries from late spring, but fresh tart cherries usually shift into the mid-to-late summer. The short harvest period for both types means that for the best flavor and texture, consumers must purchase them soon after they are picked. Cherries do not continue to ripen once removed from the tree.
Geographic Influence on Year-Round Availability
While the North American cherry season is limited to the summer months, global sourcing has made fresh cherries available almost year-round. This extended availability is possible because of the counter-seasonality of the Southern Hemisphere. When summer ends in the Northern Hemisphere, the growing season begins in countries south of the equator, reversing the supply timeline.
Major cherry producers in the Southern Hemisphere, such as Chile, Argentina, and New Zealand, begin their harvest as the Northern Hemisphere moves into winter. The earliest fruit from these regions can appear in international markets via air-freight as early as October. The peak season typically spans from November through February, providing a consistent supply for North American and European markets during their off-season.
Cherries are widely associated with the Christmas season in the Southern Hemisphere, where they are at peak ripeness in late December. This global trade allows consumers to enjoy fresh, high-quality sweet cherries even in January and February, long after the domestic harvest has ended. Shipping this fruit across hemispheres relies on advanced cold chain logistics to maintain quality during transport.
Tree Maturity and First Fruiting
The timeline for a cherry tree to produce its first crop requires several years of establishment before any fruit appears. This initial waiting period depends on the tree’s variety and rootstock. Sweet cherry trees, particularly those grown from seedlings, have a longer juvenile phase. They typically take between four and seven years after planting to begin bearing fruit.
Tart cherry trees generally mature faster, often starting to produce a harvest within three to five years. The use of dwarfing rootstocks can accelerate this process, allowing some trees to bear fruit a year or two earlier. A tree is considered to reach full maturity and peak production around seven years after planting.