Grow Your Own Fresh Fruit Trees!
‘Montmorency’ is the most popular sour cherry in America for making cherry pies. This cherry tree ripens early and is self-pollinating, although planting more than one will ensure a better crop. It is a hybrid between sweet cherry x Nanking cherry, P. tomentosa. The medium to large fruit is a deep to bright red with firm, yellow flesh, and clear juice. Sour cherries such as ‘Montmorency’ are delicious for making jellies and ice cream!
Not only does ‘Montmorency’ produce cherries for tasty treats, but it also makes for a beautiful addition to the landscape. This winter-hardy tree has a beautiful shape and produces lovely snow-white flowers in the spring. These gorgeous blooms give way to clusters of bold red cherries in early July. While ‘Montmorency’ can grow to a height of 15-20’, it may be pruned to maintain its shape and height.
Cherries are planted in two groups named Sweet Cherries and Sour Cherries. The cherries most popular for eating have derived primarily from the Wild Cherry (P. avium), which has given rise to the Sweet Cherry to which most cherry cultivars belong. The sweet cherry is often grown in the orchard for fresh eating from the tree and sour cherries (P. cerasus) are typically used for making jellies, pies, and ice cream. Both species originate in Europe and western Asia; they do not cross-pollinate each other.
