How Fast Do Cherry Trees Grow? - GardenTabs.com (2024)

The hardest part of growing cherry trees may be enduring the wait to taste their delicious bright red fruit or to see their blossoms in the spring. You may be wondering how fast cherry trees grow. We've thoroughly reviewed the available information and have some answers for you.

Full-sized cherry trees usually grow between one and two feet per year, while the dwarf variety grows between eight to ten inches in a year. A full-sized ungrafted cherry tree can take seven to ten years to bear fruit from seed. Dwarf tree varieties may fruit in three to five years.

Many factors may affect a cherry tree's growth rate. We'll look at ways to make sure your tree is growing at the fastest rate. Keep reading as we discuss how tall a cherry tree may grow and what can cause your tree to take longer to bear fruit.

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How Tall Do Cherry Trees Grow?

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Cherry trees are some of the largest growing fruit trees. A standard size cherry tree can grow to 30 feet tall. Sour cherry trees grow to about 20 feet, while the dwarf varieties, sometimes called shrubs, can be as short as five to seven feet or as tall as fifteen feet.

How Long Does It Take For A Cherry Tree To Sprout?

If you plant cherry seeds in the garden, there can be a wide variance in the time they take to germinate. With the proper care and conditions, seeds planted in the fall should produce sprouts in the following spring.

You may see sprouts in as little as 90 days after planting. It could take as long as 150 days in some conditions and climates.

Can You Speed Up A Cherry Tree?

You may be able to ensure the sprouting timeframe stays on the shorter end. Place the seeds in moist peat moss and then in the refrigerator. The temperature should be between 33 degrees and 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Store them this way in the fridge for 60 to 120 days.

After this time period has passed, you can plant them in one-gallon pots with sterile starting mix or sterile compost. You should start to see sprouts in about 30 days. The way you start your seeds may affect growth rate and quality. There may be some other ways you can get a faster harvest.

Sow A Faster Growing Variety

Dwarf cherry trees can bear fruit in just a few years and can be purchased as ready-to-fruit trees. Sour cherry trees also fruit in much less time than standard cherry trees. They can fruit in as little as five to seven years.

Experienced gardeners caution that if you are growing trees to enjoy their fruit quickly, you may want to get your trees from a nursery. If you want the experience of growing from seed, these dwarf cherry tree seeds will need to be cold stratified first, meaning they need to be in the fridge or freezer for at least 60 days before planting them.

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Click here to see an example of dwarf cherry seeds on Amazon.

Pick The Right Variety Cherry Tree For Your Zone

Sweet cherry trees grow the best and fastest in zone five to seven. If you live in zone four to zone six, then you can grow sour cherry trees. Location is also essential. Plant your trees in the part of your garden or yard that will get at least six hours of sunlight. The soil also needs to be good draining since the roots are susceptible to rot.

How To Water A Cherry Tree

Watering your cherry tree correctly will also help it grow at the fastest rate. Maintain two inches of water every two weeks when your trees are young. You may need a water gauge to make sure your trees are getting the right amount of moisture.

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Click here to see a gauge for testing soil moisture on Amazon.

Prune Your Cherry Tree In During The Spring

Cherry trees should be pruned in the early spring or late winter to get the maximum growth rate. You'll want to prune the branches that reach straight up, down, or inward. These branches sap energy from the tree. The weaker low potential branches should be removed to allow the tree to grow up and out.

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Click here to see pruning shears on Amazon.

This video shows how to prune a fruiting cherry tree. A non-fruit-bearing cherry blossom tree should only be pruned as needed and only from May to August.

When Do Cherry Trees Blossom?

Cherry trees blossom in the spring for only one to two weeks. Cherry blossom trees or flowering trees are fast-growing cherry trees. You can expect to see your first cherry blossoms on your ornamental trees in as little as one to four years.

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Click here to see a kit for growing a cherry blossom tree on Amazon.

Fruit-bearing trees will see blossoms when it's almost ready to bear fruit. Once the tree is old enough to grow and blooms freely, you know you may have a harvest this year.

Do You Need More Than One Tree To Produce Fruit?

Sour cherry trees are what is called self-fruiting. This means that they do not need another tree to bear fruit. Dwarf trees, also known as Stella cherry trees, are also self-fruiting.

Sweet cherry trees of the standard variety need other trees to cross-pollinate so they can bear fruit. The trees need to be planted in the same area. Plant a few trees to increase the likelihood of pollination.

Will A Cherry Blossom Tree Bear Fruit?

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Cherry blossom trees are trees that have been bred for their flowers. Since their fruiting ability was unimportant, many of these trees do not bear fruit. They are hardier than fruit-bearing trees and, depending on the size, can be inside or outside trees. They do well in zone five through eight and can do well in various soils.

Why Do Cherries Take So Long To Grow

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All fruit trees take years to grow, but standard cherry trees are one of the largest fruit trees and take a long time to reach maturity if you grow from seed. The time to bear yearly fruit might also be longer because they require long, cold dormant times to activate fruiting.

Why Is The Cherry Tree Not Bearing Fruit

Not all cherry trees are guaranteed to bear fruit. Some cherry trees may only bear fruit every other year. Other issues may include insufficient pollinating action between trees, soil issues, or pruning errors. If the soil doesn't drain well, look for rot on the roots.

You can do a simple test to test how well your soil is draining. Dig a hole one foot in depth. Fill it with water. Keep checking every 30 minutes or so to see how long it takes to drain the water. If the water takes three to four hours, your soil is not draining fast enough.

When your tree is still young, you may be able to move it to better soil. If it's fruiting age already, consult with an experienced landscaper. Drain optionscan be installed in the soil to assist drainage.

For tips on caring for a cherry blossom tree, read our article, "My Cherry Blossom Tree Is Dying What To Do?"

What Is The Fastest Growing Fruit Tree?

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All fruit trees will be a long investment of time and effort if you plan to grow from seed. If you get trees that are already started, there are fruit trees that may bear fruit a little faster than the cherry tree.

Peach and apple trees are fast and easy to grow. Peach trees may bear fruit as soon as a year after they are planted. While apple trees bear fruit in three to five years.

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Depending on its rootstock, the fastest growing fruit tree may be the plum tree. Like dwarf cherry trees, the dwarf varieties of fruit trees usually grow and bear fruit faster.

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In Conclusion

Now that you know how fast cherry trees can grow and how long it can take to see the first blooms, make your plan and start planting your trees! Caring for cherry trees may take patience and a lot of attention, but when you see those first blossoms or eat your first homegrown cherry, it will have been well worth your wait.

Made it to the end? You may be interested in the following.

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How Fast Do Cherry Trees Grow? - GardenTabs.com (2024)

FAQs

How quickly does a cherry tree grow? ›

Wild cherry is quick growing, reaching 8m x 5m in 10 years, 14m x 7m in 20 years and 20m x 10m when full grown. Young trees tend to be quite narrow and upright, but mature trees become wide and spreading.

What month is best to plant cherry trees? ›

Plant cherries in the late fall or early spring (when the ground is soft and has a higher moisture content). When selecting sweet cherries, make sure the different varieties will pollinate each other.

How far away from a house should a cherry tree be planted? ›

For fruit trees grafted on dwarf rootstocks that means 3m or so, and for fruit trees on vigorous rootstocks allow 6m or more.

What is the easiest cherry tree to grow? ›

Both sweet and sour cherry trees are easy to grow and both fruits have a wide variety of uses. Sweet cherries are used for raw eating and you'll need at least 2-3 trees for pollination. There is a dwarf sweet cherry tree that is self-pollinating that is new to most markets as well.

How tall is a 3 year old cherry tree? ›

3-4 Year Old (Approx. 3-3.5 Ft) Barbados Cherry Tree. Barbados cherries are a sweet-tart fruit, which goes excellently with making jams, jellies, pies, and many more delicious treats.

How can I speed up my cherry tree growth? ›

Cherry trees should be pruned in the early spring or late winter to get the maximum growth rate. You'll want to prune the branches that reach straight up, down, or inward. These branches sap energy from the tree. The weaker low potential branches should be removed to allow the tree to grow up and out.

Do you need 2 cherry trees? ›

Only one sour cherry tree needs to be planted for pollination and fruit set. Many sweet cherry varieties cannot produce fruit from their own pollen and are considered self-unfruitful. These plants require cross-pollination for fruit set.

Are cherry trees difficult to grow? ›

Growing either type of cherry trees requires some difference in care. However, in general, they just need to have good air circulation, an adequate amount of sunlight, and well-drained and fertile soil. However, cherry trees are vulnerable to root rot. Thus, the soil needs to be well-drained.

Do cherry trees prefer sun or shade? ›

Sweet cherries like a sunny location, such as against a south- or south-west facing wall, while acid cherries tolerate some shade, so are ideal for a north-facing wall.

Are cherry trees roots invasive? ›

The roots of cherry trees are quite invasive. They grow close to the surface and spread aggressively underground and clog plumbing pipes, wreak havoc with structures, and can even disrupt patio slabs.

Where is the best place to put a cherry tree? ›

Cherry trees do best in a warm, sheltered frost-free spot in well-drained, slightly acid soil. Morello cherry varieties are generally smaller and will also tolerate some shade, so can be grown against a north-facing boundary. These varieties are also self-fertile, so can be grown without a planting partner.

Do cherry tree roots spread? ›

Full-sized fruit trees, as opposed to dwarf varieties, often have root systems that achieve an area of 33-39 square feet (10-12 square meters) (source). It's easy to see how cherry tree roots can become invasive when their root systems are so extensive that close to the surface.

Which cherry tree grows fastest? ›

Here are the fastest-growing cherry tree varieties.
  • Yoshino: This variety grows about 3 feet per year. At maturity, it reaches 35 feet tall easily. ...
  • Pink Star: Averages between 2 to 3 feet a year but only grows to about 25 feet tall. ...
  • Benton Cherry: Grows about 2 feet a year and averages 14 feet tall and wide at maturity.

What is the tastiest cherry tree? ›

1] SUNBURST My choice as the best garden Cherry tree, Sunburst has it all. Prolific, reliable, outstanding flavour and quality, the deepest red-black fruits ripening en masse in early July.

How much space does a cherry tree need? ›

Standard cherries that grow large should be planted 35 to 40 feet apart. You can space dwarf trees 8 to 10 feet apart. Once you plant your tree keep it consistently watered, but not soaked, for the first year. Deep soak established trees when the top few inches of the soil is dry.

How tall is a 5 year old cherry tree? ›

4-5 Year Old (Approx. 3.5-5 Ft) Barbados Cherry Tree. Barbados cherries are a sweet-tart fruit, which goes excellently with making jams, jellies, pies, and many more delicious treats.

What is the lifespan of a cherry tree? ›

Across all varieties cherry trees tend to have a short lifespan, typically around 15-30 years.

Can a cherry tree be kept small? ›

Yup! You can keep oak and cherry trees small, too. Your arborist will help develop a plan to ensure you're training your tree and reducing its height in the best way possible. They'll also pinpoint the best time to prune because cherry and oak trees are on opposite pruning schedules.

Do cherry trees need a lot of water? ›

Cherry Trees enjoy moist soil. They need an inch of water every two weeks while they're young. It may be a good idea to keep up with the rainfall with weather reports, or a rain gauge to see how much rainwater your trees are getting. During times of drought, your trees may need a little extra water.

How often do cherry trees need to be watered? ›

Give your cherry tree enough water to soak the ground all around the roots. It's important to note that, even if you're in the midst of a “brown-lawn drought”, you shouldn't water too much. Once every 7- to 10-days (or even once every two weeks) is plenty. Worse than dry, thirsty roots are waterlogged, drowning roots.

Can you use Miracle Grow on cherry trees? ›

Answer: Miracle-Gro Water Soluble All Purpose Plant Food is not labeled for fruit trees. We would recommend using a fertilizer that is intened for fruit trees such as, Ferti-Lome Fruit, Citrus and Pecan Tree Food 19-10-5. 62 of 84 people found this answer helpful.

Should you prune a cherry tree every year? ›

The only pruning necessary at that time would be to remove any broken or damaged branches and/or roots. Plan to prune your cherry trees every year during their dormant season.

How do I know if my cherry tree is male or female? ›

Lots of trees are hermaphroditic — that is, their flowers contain both male and female reproductive parts. Other species have male trees and female trees, which you can tell apart by looking at their flowers: The male reproductive parts are the pollen-laden stamen; the female parts their egg-holding pistils.

What is the sweetest cherry tree? ›

But if you want to know which cherries are the sweetest of the sweetest, that would be any of the black cherries. Bing cherries are the leader of this pack, along with their siblings Lambert, Chelan, Sweetheart, and Tulare. You can recognize them by their dark color and heart shape.

Should cherry trees be planted in pairs? ›

Any cherry tree care manual will tell you that sour cherry trees are self-pollinators. This means they do not require more than one tree to produce the fruit. However, if you plant the sweet variety, you will need at least a couple of trees for proper cherry tree pollination.

Which two conditions do cherry trees need to grow well? ›

Sunny spot with excellent air circulation. Cherry trees will only produce fruit in areas with very cold winters. You will need two trees for good fruit set with sweet cherries. Standard tart cherries are often self fertile, and make nice landscape trees.

How tall should I let my cherry tree grow? ›

Cherry trees can grow 16 to 20 feet (5 to 6 metres) tall, but with regular pruning you can keep them to a compact, manageable size so they won't take over your garden.

Is cherry tree good for front yard? ›

Cherry trees are easy to maintain, but can have problems with disease. They make a beautiful addition to any front yard. Shop online for Flowering Cherry Trees.

Do cherry trees need to be covered in winter? ›

Protect All Fruit Trees Against Frost Cracking

This causes unsightly trunk cracking that hurt the tree's ability to take up moisture and nutrients and leaves an opening for insects. Protect the bark with tree wrap and remove the wrap in spring after the last frost.

Do cherry trees attract birds? ›

Each year the color and scent of the cherry blossoms attract a variety of birds and insects.

How far away from a fence should you plant a cherry tree? ›

Plant a hardy cherry tree 6 to10 inches away from the fence. Planting in the early spring on a south-facing wall works best. Dig a hole twice as wide and slightly higher than the root ball.

Do cherry trees leave a mess? ›

Fruit-bearing cherry trees can be quite messy if you don't pick the ripe fruits right away when they grow. This is because overripe fruits tend to fall into the ground, making the garden messy.

What will grow under a cherry tree? ›

Coriander (Cilantro) and Cherry Trees

Another herb that attracts many beneficial insects, coriander will do well growing underneath cherry trees.

Do cherry trees send out runners? ›

They may appear in borders, lawns, between paving stones or through paths, and can become a nuisance. Poplars, cherries, plums, stags-horn sumach, lilacs and false acacias all sucker freely.

Can a cherry tree take full sun? ›

Cherry trees thrive in a location that gets full sun and has a well-drained, fertile soil. “Full sun” is defined as at least 6 to 8 hours of sun each day. Sunlight is critical to fruit production and quality, and also helps keep fungal issues from getting a foothold.

What kind of soil do cherry trees like? ›

Cherry trees grow best in deep (at least 4 feet), well-drained loam soils. They will tolerate less desirable soil, but may do poorly on excessively sandy, heavy or wet soils.

When should you not prune a cherry tree? ›

The rule of thumb when pruning fruit trees is to do so when the tree is dormant during the winter. However, cutting back sweet cherries is an exception to this rule. Sweet cherries are more susceptible to fungal and bacterial diseases, especially on recently cut limbs, so it is best to prune them in the late summer.

How much is a full grown cherry tree worth? ›

In the U.S., a large cherry tree is worth between $600 and $600. The largest cherry tree in the U.S. was planted in 1848 near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and there is a plaque near where it was planted that states what it cost to plant this unique species of tree: “One hundred dollars”.

What's the fastest growing fruit tree? ›

Moringa is super fast growing, like 15-20 feet in one season. As long as the roots don't freeze, the moringa tree will come back year after year. Of course there are many other fruit trees that are absolutely worth planting but they take three or more years to actually produce fruit.

Which cherry has the most cyanide? ›

A red cherry pit is estimated to have 3.9 mg of amygdalin per gram of fruit, while the black cherry has a slightly lower concentration at 2.7 mg per gram. Meanwhile, the Morello cherry pit harbors an astonishing 65 mg per gram (2).

Why is the cherry tree so special? ›

Grandfather replied that the tree was special because they planted it themselves. At the end, Rakesh wondered what it felt like a God. He was surprised by how a small seed he planted had grown into a beautiful tree that provided fruit, shade , shelter to everyone.

What is the prettiest flowering cherry tree? ›

1. Kwanzan Cherry. Easily the showiest of all Flowering Cherries, the Kwanzan's blooms aren't just pink but double pink, meaning you get twice as many petals and twice as many blooms.

How far from a house should you plant a cherry tree? ›

For fruit trees grafted on dwarf rootstocks that means 3m or so, and for fruit trees on vigorous rootstocks allow 6m or more.

How long does it take for a cherry tree to produce fruit? ›

Quick Reference Growing Chart
Plant Type:Stone fruit (drupe) tree
Time to Maturity:As little as 2 years to fruiting for dwarf varieties, 4-6 years for standard selections
Spacing:Standard: 35-40 feet Dwarf: 8-10 feet
Planting Depth:Same as nursery pot, or set crown of bare root stock just below the soil surface
7 more rows
14 Jul 2019

How far from fence should I plant fruit trees? ›

Semi-dwarf trees grow to between 12 and 15 feet tall and wide, so give them 15 feet of space between each tree. Dwarf apple trees generally grow to between eight and 10 feet tall with a similar spread. They're happy to have about 10 feet separating them from surrounding apples, buildings, and fences.

Can you plant just 1 cherry tree? ›

Only one sour cherry tree needs to be planted for pollination and fruit set. Many sweet cherry varieties cannot produce fruit from their own pollen and are considered self-unfruitful. These plants require cross-pollination for fruit set.

Why are cherry trees so hard to grow? ›

Cherry trees are very susceptible to root rot, so the soil needs to drain well. They also require about eight hours of sunlight daily, so you cannot plant them where they will grow in the shade of other trees. Any cherry tree care manual will tell you that sour cherry trees are self-pollinators.

How far out do cherry tree roots spread? ›

A mature full-sized cherry tree will have a root system spanning 33 to 39 feet in diameter. As for depth, the roots wouldn't grow beyond 3 feet deep. Dwarf cherries have a smaller root system that spans 10 feet wide and 1 foot deep.

Do cherry trees need pruning every year? ›

The only pruning necessary at that time would be to remove any broken or damaged branches and/or roots. Plan to prune your cherry trees every year during their dormant season.

How long do cherry trees live for? ›

Across all varieties cherry trees tend to have a short lifespan, typically around 15-30 years. However black cherry trees can live for anything up to 250 years.

What fruit tree produces fruit the soonest? ›

Blueberry. If they have acidic soil and a sunny spot, blueberry plants can thrive in almost any garden and are among the fastest fruits to grow. These perennial bushes do tolerate some shade but won't produce nearly as much fruit as they would in full sun.

Which fruit takes 2 years to grow? ›

Apricot. Even a single tree is enough to grow in the garden because it will produce self-pollinated fruit. This tree grows faster, but it takes 2 years to start bearing fruit. The sweetness of apricots tastes best when fresh.

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