Cherry Question

18 years ago

In the Fall of 2002 I planted two sweet cherry trees from Stark Bros. One was a Stella and the other a Bing. The Stella was advertised as a dwarf and the other semi-dwarf. Both trees are about the same size, nothing dwarf about either. They have fruited for the first time.

I picked about 4 gallons of the Stella cherries Wednesday. The quirrels and birds had been very active in the tree, the taste of the cherries did not seem to vary much from the darkest to the lightest in color.

Also, the skin was cracking on some of them from over ripeness or from the wet spring, so I picked. Perhaps I picked too early.

I was quite disappointed in the taste. Not knowing what a ripe stella cherry was suppose to taste like raises several questions.

Stark Bros. was going through a transition to new owners somewhere around the time I ordered about a dozen fruit trees from them. There have been problems with other fruit trees from them. So, I wonder if I do really have Stella cherries, esp. since I obviously did not get a dwarf tree.

Of those who know what a Stella cherry is like, how does it rate in sweetness? What is the apperance of a ripe Stella cherry. The outward apperance looked similar to what I have seen at the grocery store described as Rainer, the inside flesh was white except in rare instances where red color had run into the inside flesh, perhaps from being overripe.

I have yet to pick the tree described and sold as Bing from Stark Bros. Some of these cherries appear to be getting darker in color which leads me to believe these may be Bing. This tree is not as full by a long shot.

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Comments (6)

fruitnut Z7 4500ft SW TX
18 years ago
I had a Stella that produced for about 10 yrs in West Texas. The fruit is only a medium red when fully ripe. I didn't think the quality was good at all. Even when fully ripe they weren't very sweet. They rated with the poor ones from the store. Didn't have any other varieties at that time. Have grown some Bings here that have been great.

You need some way to get some of your crop fully ripe on the tree. That is the only way you will be sure of the quality.

The Fruitnut
letsski
18 years ago
I have to disagree with fruitnut on the color of the Stella,

I have one that is about 18 years old. The Stella needs to be very dark purple before picking. It is very sweet and quite prolific when the conditions are right.

I have found over the years that you really need to wait until the last possible moment to pick, otherwise they are average at best.

My guess is that yours were not ready.

I am going to try to post a picture of mine as here in the Bay Area it is just about ready to pick.

Letsski
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Scott F Smith
18 years ago
It sounds like you picked them "way not ready", not just "not ready". Thats why the birds and squirrels had not yet eaten them all, they prefer their fruit ripe as well :-) The birds are doing a major number on my cherries right now.

Scott
gardenmom_1985
18 years ago
There are only 2 truly dwarfing rootstocks available for cherry, as far as I know: Gisela 5 and Krymsk 5, so make sure you know what your rootstock is before you buy. If the person selling doesn't know, then it isn't. With these you can prune to a vase and keep the tree at about 10 feet and it won't be too hard to net so that you can actually ripen the fruit before the birds get them. It was the wetness that caused cracking in your cherries, not ripeness. Vandalay is my favorite cherry, black, just like Bing, but resistant to cracking, and self fruitful so it sets fruit in poor weather. In our rainy spring this year in Western Washington my tiny one year old tree that the deer pruned last summer so it really is tiny (less than 4 feet high) set 6 cherries! It is on Gisela 5. You don't need another tree for pollination. You can get them from Raintree, but it is too late for this year.
hoseman
Original Author
18 years ago
Fruitnut, you are so correct. I picked the Bing Cherries yesterday, even though many were not completely ripe, they were sweeter than the Stella. Gardenmom, thanks for the suggestion on Vandalay.
ca_cherry_grower
18 years ago
I have one Stella tree plantd 15 years ago. For me, the Bings are better. I think Stella is better suited where Bings don't do well. They both get really dark when ripe. Most sweet cherry varieties I know will get really dark when getting very ripe.

Stark Brothers may not be the only one labeling rootstocks as dwarf that don't really dwarf. I have seen both Mahaleb and Colt labeled as semi-dwarf and both of the rootstocks can easily grow beyond 25 feet.