Top 20 Cherry Varieties to Grow: Tips and Advice for a Successful Harvest
Cherries are one of the most rewarding fruit trees you can grow, producing beautiful spring blossom followed by glossy, flavour-packed fruit in early to mid-summer. With modern breeding offering compact, self-fertile, and disease-resistant varieties, cherries are now suitable for gardens of all sizes—including patios, trained forms, and containers.
Whether you prefer sweet dessert cherries for fresh eating or sharper types for cooking and preserving, choosing the right variety is the key to a successful harvest. With good siting, correct pruning, and a little protection from birds, cherry trees can crop reliably for many years.
This guide covers the top 20 cherry varieties to grow, along with practical tips and advice to help you achieve healthy trees and consistently high-quality fruit.
⭐ Recommended Products for Growing Cherries Successfully
Cherry trees benefit from strong establishment, careful pruning, and fruit protection. The right equipment helps improve yields and reduces losses at harvest time.
• Tree Stakes, Ties, or Training Wires
Young cherry trees need support while establishing, especially in exposed gardens. Training wires are ideal for fan, espalier, or cordon-grown cherries.
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• Well-Rotted Manure or Garden Compost
Annual mulching improves soil structure, moisture retention, and fruit size while keeping trees healthy and productive.
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• Fruit Netting or Fruit Cages
Birds love cherries. Netting is essential to protect ripening fruit and ensure you get a full harvest.
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What Are Cherries?
Cherries are stone fruits from the Prunus genus and are divided into two main types:
- Sweet cherries (Prunus avium) – best eaten fresh
- Acid (sour) cherries (Prunus cerasus) – ideal for cooking, bottling, and preserving
- Flavour: Sweet to sharp depending on variety
- Growth habit: Small to medium-sized tree
- Harvest season: June to August
- Uses: Fresh eating, pies, jams, freezing, baking
Many modern cherries are self-fertile and ideal for home gardens.
Ideal Growing Conditions for Cherries
- Soil: Fertile, free-draining soil
- Position: Full sun, sheltered from wind
- Spacing: 3–4m for bush trees (less for dwarf rootstocks)
- Pollination: Many varieties are self-fertile
- Harvesting: Pick when fully coloured and sweet
Good drainage is essential—cherries dislike waterlogged soil.
Top 20 Cherry Varieties to Grow
1. Stella
One of the most popular self-fertile cherries.
- Sweet, dark red fruit
- Heavy cropping
- Reliable in UK gardens
Excellent all-round variety.
2. Lapins
Improved self-fertile variety.
- Large, firm cherries
- Very sweet flavour
- Strong disease resistance
Great for fresh eating.
3. Sunburst
Compact and productive.
- Large, sweet fruit
- Self-fertile
- Good for smaller gardens
Reliable and easy to grow.
4. Kordia
High-quality dessert cherry.
- Very large fruit
- Excellent flavour
- Best in warm, sheltered sites
Premium eating cherry.
5. Morello
Classic sour cherry.
- Dark red fruit
- Sharp flavour
- Self-fertile
Ideal for cooking and preserving.
6. Summer Sun
Modern UK-bred variety.
- Compact growth
- Sweet fruit
- Excellent disease resistance
Good patio cherry.
7. Regina
Late-season dessert cherry.
- Large, firm fruit
- Sweet flavour
- Good cracking resistance
Extends the season.
8. Sweetheart
Late-ripening variety.
- Very sweet fruit
- Heavy crops
- Self-fertile
Excellent for longer harvests.
9. Napoleon (Royal Ann)
Traditional yellow-red cherry.
- Mild sweetness
- Large fruit
- Decorative appearance
Good for fresh eating and bottling.
10. Penny
Reliable dessert cherry.
- Sweet flavour
- Compact habit
- Consistent cropping
Ideal for small gardens.
11. Van
Traditional sweet cherry.
⭐ Recommended Products — Garden & Allotment Essentials for March
March is when the growing season truly begins. Seeds are being sown daily, beds are prepared and late frosts are still possible — these essentials help produce strong plants and a successful start.
Seed Trays, Modules & Propagation Kits — perfect for tomatoes, brassicas, lettuce, onions and flowers. 👉
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Heated Propagators, Heat Mats & Grow Lights — improves germination and prevents leggy seedlings during cold nights. 👉
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Seed & Cutting Compost — essential for healthy seedlings and strong root growth. 👉
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Garden Fleece & Plant Protection Covers — protects seedlings, potatoes and early plantings from late frost. 👉
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Spring Vegetable Seeds — carrots, beetroot, peas, spinach and salads can all be started now. 👉
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Garden Kneeler & Seat — makes long sowing and planting sessions far more comfortable. 👉
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Pressure Washer (Greenhouse & Patio Cleaning) — clean patios, paths and greenhouses before planting. 👉
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Solar Garden Lights — perfect for enjoying the garden during brighter spring evenings. 👉
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- Rich flavour
- Heavy crops
- Strong growth
Good pollinator variety.
12. Early Rivers
Early-ripening cherry.
- Sweet, juicy fruit
- Early harvest
- Reliable yields
Excellent season starter.
13. Celeste
Early dessert variety.
- Very sweet flavour
- Self-fertile
- Compact growth
Great for patios.
14. Karina
Large-fruited variety.
- Big, dark cherries
- Sweet flavour
- Strong tree vigour
Good for warm sites.
15. North Star
Hardy sour cherry.
- Cold tolerant
- Compact size
- Reliable cropping
Excellent for cooler regions.
16. Lapin’s Improved
Refined Lapins selection.
- Larger fruit
- Improved consistency
- Strong disease resistance
Very productive.
17. Fanal
Early sour cherry.
- Bright red fruit
- Sharp flavour
- Heavy cropping
Great for jams and pies.
18. Skeena
Late-season dessert cherry.
- Very large fruit
- Firm texture
- Excellent sweetness
High-quality eating cherry.
19. Compact Stella
Space-saving form of Stella.
- Smaller tree size
- Sweet fruit
- Self-fertile
Perfect for patios and containers.
20. Heritage Cherry
Traditional open-pollinated type.
- Classic cherry flavour
- Hardy growth
- Reliable cropping
Ideal for heritage gardens.
Common Problems When Growing Cherries
- Fruit splitting: Heavy rain near harvest
- Bird damage: Netting essential
- Poor cropping: Frost-damaged blossom
- Disease: Prune in summer to reduce risk
Good airflow and summer pruning help prevent problems.
Pruning Tips for Better Harvests
- Prune cherries in summer only
- Remove dead or crossing branches
- Maintain open structure
- Avoid winter pruning to reduce disease
Light, regular pruning works best.
Harvesting and Storage Tips
- Harvest when fully coloured and sweet
- Pick with stalks attached
- Eat fresh for best flavour
- Refrigerate short-term or freeze
Cherries do not ripen after picking.
Nutritional Benefits of Cherries
- High in antioxidants
- Contains anti-inflammatory compounds
- Good source of vitamin C
- Supports heart and joint health
Dark cherries are especially nutritious.
Final Thoughts
Cherries are a superb addition to the home garden, combining spring beauty with delicious summer harvests. With self-fertile and compact varieties now widely available, growing cherries is easier than ever—even in smaller spaces.
Whether you’re growing sweet dessert cherries for fresh eating or sour varieties for cooking and preserving, choosing the right cherry variety and giving it the right care will reward you with years of reliable, flavour-packed harvests.