Common Name: North Star sour cherry, tart cherry, sour cherry
Scientific Name:
Family: Rosaceae
Genus: Prunus
Species: P. 'North Star'
Hardiness Zone: 4 to 8
Height: 7 to 9 ft
Width: 8 to 10 ft
Common characteristics:
The 'North Star' sour cherry cultivar is a dwarf fruit tree reaching 7 to 9 feet. The bark is smooth and brownish gray in color with white lenticels. Leaves are in an opposite arrangement and are dark green in the summer. The flowers are white and bloom in the spring. It produces one crop per year of large bright red cherries. The sour cherries are ready for harvest in June. The 'North Star' is self-pollinating.
Where it grows:
Grows best in moist, well-drained soil that is in full sun. It has a very low tolerance for wet soils. Best sited in a sheltered location where periodic chemical spraying will not pose problems to adjacent areas.
How it’s used:
The 'North Star' makes for a great fruit crop tree. This self-pollinating dwarf cherry is ideal for smaller spaces.
Ecosystem services:
Birds will be attracted to the fruits.
Where it is native to:
Native to Europe and Asia
Problems:
Possible diseases include brown rot, powdery mildew, black knot, leaf spot, and bacterial cankers. Aphids, fruit flies, sawflies, and scales can be a problem.
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