Organic! Sweet Cherry Tree {Prunus avium} Alkavo | High Yield | Delectable Fruit | Showy Fragrant | 20 seeds Free Shipping! US Seller Common Name: Sweet cherry Type: Tree Family: Rosaceae Zone: 3 to 8 Height: 15.00 to 30.00 feet Spread: 15.00 to 30.00 feet Bloom Time: April Bloom Description: White Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Medium Maintenance: Medium Suggested Use: Shade Tree, Flowering Tree Flower: Showy, Fragrant Leaf: Good Fall Attracts: Birds, Butterflies Fruit: Showy, Edible While Alkavo cherries are often grown as an ornamental cherry for their spring blossoms, but should not be overlooked for their fruit! Sweet Cherry, or bird cherry is the parent species of many of today’s popular cherry tree varieties. It is in flower from April to May with fragrant white to light pink blossoms and the sweet cherries ripen from July to August. It is a highly productive cherry, producing high yields, of tiny, delicious, black to red cherries. The species is hermaphroditic and is pollinated by bees, and attracts other beneficial insects and birds. While it is native to Europe and Asia, it has been cultivated in the US since colonial times. They grow best with medium moisture, well drained soil in fully sunlit areas. It typically grows 20-30’ tall, but can reach 60’ in its native habitat. A robust and determined cherry tree it is extremely disease resistant and is a great species for grafting other varieties onto. With their high yield, beautiful blossoms, and hardiness, this species would be a great addition to a food forest or as a backyard snack tree! The Alkavo selection produces trees that are more frost hardy than Prunus avium, and they grow around 10% smaller, making harvesting easier. Mature trees can grow to 30m and live for up to 60 years. The shiny bark is a deep reddish-brown with prominent cream-coloured horizontal lines called lenticels. The second part of its botanical name – avium – refers to birds which play a role in the tree’s propagation by eating the cherries and dispersing the seed. Cherry trees are hermaphrodite, meaning the male and female reproductive parts are found in the same flower. Flowers, measuring 8–15mm across appear in April and are white and cup-shaped, with five petals. They hang in clusters of two to six. Germination: 98% Grow in average, medium moisture, well drained soil in full sun. Prefers moisture-retentive soils with good drainage. No tolerance for wet soils. Seed requires 30-60 days warm stratification followed by 90-120 cold. Soak in water room temperature 48 hours change the water after 24 hours prior to warm stratifying the seed. A few drops of Lemon Juice in the water soak will improve results.