Hodge's Family Nursery Plant Finder

Other Names:  Sweet Heart Cherry

Description:

A popular, fruitful selection with showy fragrant white flowers in spring followed by sweet, medium sized cherries with firm, juicy flesh; ripens very late in the season; best for larger landscapes; needs full sun, well drained soil; self-fruiting

Edible Qualities

Sweetheart Cherry is a medium-sized tree that is typically grown for its edible qualities. It produces cherry red heart-shaped fruit (technically 'drupes') with a dark red blush and creamy white flesh which are usually ready for picking from late summer to early fall. Note that the fruits have hard inedible pits inside which must be removed before eating or processing. The fruits have a sweet taste and a juicy texture.

The fruit are most often used in the following ways:

• Fresh Eating
• Cooking
• Baking
• Preserves
• Canning

Features & Attributes

Sweetheart Cherry is blanketed in stunning clusters of fragrant white flowers hanging below the branches in early spring before the leaves. It has dark green deciduous foliage. The pointy leaves turn yellow in fall. The fruits are showy cherry red drupes with a dark red blush, which are carried in abundance from mid summer to early fall. The fruit can be messy if allowed to drop on the lawn or walkways, and may require occasional clean-up. The smooth dark red bark adds an interesting dimension to the landscape.

This is a deciduous tree 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 plant will require occasional maintenance 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;

• Disease

Aside from its primary use as an edible, Sweetheart Cherry is sutiable for the following landscape applications;

• Shade
• Orchard/Edible Landscaping

Planting & Growing

Sweetheart Cherry will grow to be about 25 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 15 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 3 feet from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 50 years or more. This is a self-pollinating variety, so it doesn't require a second plant nearby to set fruit.

This tree is typically grown in a designated area of the yard because of its mature size and spread. It 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 is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.