Sour and Sweet

• Cherries come in two types: sour and sweet. Sweet cherries have a higher sugar content and do not contain citric acid. They are generally considered best for fresh eating. Sour cherries, also known as pie cherries, are usually lower in sugar content (though some of the newer varieties buck this trend) and contain citric acid, which gives them a slightly tart flavor. Sour cherries are generally chosen for preserves, jams, pies and can be used for fresh eating.
  
  

Sour Bushes and Sweet Trees

• Bush cherries produce sour cherries. These plants are genetically compact, allowing them to grow in tight spaces. Most bush cherries will not exceed 10 feet in height. The fruit produced by bush cherries tend to be small, however. Sweet cherries are available as dwarfed trees, but require a great deal of care for success. Because of the dwarfing rootstock, they tend to produce sooner than standard=size sweet cherry tress. Many varieties of sweet cherries are being grafted to dwarf root stocks and are or will soon be available commercially, including Stella, a self-fruitful sweet cherry variety.
  
  

Genetic Dwarfs

• A few cherry plants are considered genetic dwarfs. These tiny cherry trees grow to about 10 feet at maturity and usually bear sour cherries. One variety that is seen often in nurseries is North Star. North Star is being used to develop other genetic dwarfs and was a parent to SK Carmine Jewel, a 2009 release. Other breeding experiments have resulted in Juliet, Valentine, Cupid, Romeo and Crimson Passion. Genetic dwarf cherry trees are easier to care for than grafted trees because they lack an easily damaged graft union.
  
  

Training Bushes and Trees

• When choosing between a bush cherry and a tree cherry, know how to train each. The bush cherries have a bushing habit, with new branches emerging directly from the crown each year. They tend to need little pruning maintenance beyond thinning out old wood and keeping the number of new shoots in check. Dwarf trees, like all cherry trees, are trained into a modified leader system. The goal is the same as with bush cherries -- keeping the center open so all leaves can get equal access to light. However, these systems require a great deal more upkeep and training.