You can also order a minimum of 50 of either 2 of those varieties as 4" cuttings from DNA nursery in Alberta. I did this 2 winters ago and I found CJ and CP to be rather similar in the rate and habit of growth. CP is supposed to be a higher quality fruit but more prone to dying off in the first year. I recall paying a bit more for CP than CJ each ranging from $4.00 to $5.50 ea. You will need to jump through a few hoops to clear customs and plant certifications which will add slightly to the cost.

Since I find the habits of growth interesting I framed up a picture of a CJ comparing growth habits with a commercial cherry rootstock 'Maxima 14'.
growthQ1-08

alcan nw, Last spring I planted CJ and CP and a Hansen Bush Cherry. The Hansen Bush Cherry grew double the size of the CJ and CP by the fall, to four feet. Did the folks at DNA assist you in getting those Cherry plants through Customs or did you know how. Comparing the CJ and the rootstock in the photo, I'd say they have identical structure, notice they both have large tap roots. Do you expect that CJ that size to bear next season.

I recall the folks at DNA had taken care of the Canadian export requirements. My county ag extension told me how and who to go through to fulfill the requirements for this side of the border. I recall doing it all online using a PDF doc and using computer keyboard to fill in the blanks.

The pot in the photo is 15 gallons where they had grown all of the season before last. Every CJ and CP had grown into the dirt below the pot whereas in identical conditions the rootstock never did in every single case. My way of explaining it is that these bush cherries put all the energies of growing below the soil line, at least initially. Incidentally I have also seen CJ prolifically bearing for many years in Fairbanks Alaska. They got about 5 to 6 feet tall but the roots had apparently been exposed to a bad winter and following that they root sprouted everywhere and up to 30 feet away from the originals. Neither one of those 2 varieties are known to root sucker where the temperature is not so extreme. When I went cherry picking at DNA I saw 10 lengthy rows of 5 varieties of these bush cherries and CJ wasn't one of them but CP was the only one without sucker shoots anywhere. Makes me think out loud that it might make a good rootstock.

I predict CJ will bear fruit on the 50% of my trees that have been best taken care of this being the 3rd summer coming. 10% of CP blossomed this last 2nd summer and I tried crossing them with pollen from another pie cherry but none fruited.

Hi, what's a bush cherry?

-Kim

A crossed line from cold hardy selections of species [dwarf ground cherry] to [pie cherry -'north star']. The breeding was done at the University of Saskatchewan which released 6 selections available in Canada only. Two of them, CJ and CP are the only ones certified for exporting from Canada. The main character is that they (were bred to) survive the cold winters of Saskatchewan and they are dwarf.

Thanks for the explanation!