Valentine Cherry

Description:

A new hardy sour cherry introduction with large white flowers followed by bright red fruit; this tart variety is best used for pies and preserves; high yields can be expected from this self-pollinator

Ornamental Features:

Valentine Cherry features showy clusters of fragrant white flowers along the branches in mid spring. It has green foliage throughout the season. The glossy oval leaves turn yellow in fall. The cherry red fruits are held in abundance in spectacular clusters in late summer, which are excellent for cooking and baking and making jams and jellies. This is a self-pollinating variety, so it doesn't require a second plant nearby to set fruit. The smooth gray bark is not particularly outstanding.

Landscape Attributes:

Valentine Cherry is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with a more or less rounded form. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This is a high maintenance shrub that will require regular care and upkeep, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. It is a good choice for attracting birds to your yard. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Suckering
• Disease

Valentine Cherry is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• General Garden Use
• Orchard/Edible Landscaping
• Accent
• Hedges/Screening
• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens

Plant Characteristics:

Valentine Cherry will grow to be about 8 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 5 feet. It has a low canopy, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 40 years or more.

This shrub should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments.

This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid.