We live in zone 3 I'm not sure if it's A or B. We used to have fruiting sour cherry bushes--I think they were nanking cherries(I'm not absolutely sure) but a friend from the west called them sand cherries. This was not the ornamental bush but a fruiting cherry. It made the absolute best jelly but were sour and gritty to eat. We had them as a hedge between the garden and the lawn. Every year though we lost 1 or 2. The bark would split from the freeze and thaw of winter. After about 6 years they were all gone.

Canadian tire sells lots of things that are not necessarily hardy in the area they are sent to. I don't think cherry trees are hardy enough for your area. I think if I were going this route and try one I'd buy from a local grower or greenhouse and get a guarantee with the plant.

There is a variety called 'Meteor' that is (*supposedly*) hardy to zone 3. I would be somewhat sceptical of the claim though.

If you can afford to experiment, then it might be worth a try if one of them is 'Meteor'. Especially if you have a good sheltered spot to plant it in.

Like oilpainter says, Canadian Tire is really bad for selling plants in areas they haven't a hope of surviving in. I have complained about it many times, but my local CanTires continue to bring in non-hardy plants.

BP

Thanks so much for replying! I think I'll go back today and take a closer look at the tags on the plant. Do you think I could safely go by the recommended hardy zone on the tree tags at CT or might that be bunk too?
They were also selling apple, pear, and plum trees. Cheap, all of them. The cherries were about 7-8ft tall and only $40. If they were a 'maybe' on surviving the winters, I'd probably chance it for that price, but not if it's a guaranteed waste of money.

The answer is in all likelihood no. Most varieties sold in seasonal centres are for higher zones. To seek a suitable tree, you should approach a year round garden centre and see what they can recommend.

I planted two Nanking cherries last year (zone 3A) and they came back fine this year. I had plans to put in some University of Saskatchewan cherries from Dominion Seed House but it's likely I'll be moving so I cancelled my order.

Don't trust any of the big box stores for plants. I bought a bunch of grapes from Home Depot once only to get home and google them to be for zone 5.

Yes jenangelcat some died some years and not others, but all died out after several years. I know I ordered 2 kinds of cherry bushes that year and one was nanking, but I can't remember what the other was called. As I said before though, some years they came through just fine and others not. I know if I had them again I'd wrap the trunks for winter. That is where the damage was. The bark split and there was nothing to do to save them

I'm in Edmonton. I have an Evans cherry that is doing quite well and have had Nanking Cherries doing well. I thought I had die-back on one of the Nankings last year. However, just after I had cut out a quarter of the bush I noticed it was leafing out -- about a month after the rest of the plant. Patience helps.

Nanking cherries are hardy to a USzone 2. They originate from the northern China and in the Himalayas which can tell you how hardy these are. However I understand they are short lived shrubs - which explains why they won't last long in the garden.

Jrsmrs, i started a thread on this very thing at the Far North Forum. They were just bringing trees out when i was there that time, but some of the ones i saw were zone 5s and i was told quite snippily by the head guy in that department that "around here, we're a mix of zone 3 and zone 5"! Good for a laugh, anyway. :-/

We've had Nanking cherries for about 25 years. Some years they produce quite well and other years not so well. I think it depends on how late a frost we've had.

Thank you so much for all of your replies!
Common sense prevailed and I left the trees where they were, tempting though they were! I've done a bit of research into the Evans cherries and they look like a good possibility for my area, although I have no idea where I'd find one as I haven't seen them around here at all. Maybe I will try and hunt one down for next year.

If you are near Edmonton I have one to give away.

I live in Lloydminster. Only 2 hours from Edmonton and I would love a cherry tree for my yard. Are you still wanting to give it away? Please email me at alicia21k@hotmail.com if so. We will be heading that directly this next weekend May Long.

Well, i bragged about my Nankings lasting 25 years, and they must have somehow gotten wind of it. One has very few flowers and the other has none so far. Sigh....