cherry blossoms - Ask Extension
Do sweet cherry blossoms have to be pollinated in order for there to be a cherry?. I have two cherry trees about 5 feet high which I planted last su...
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cherry blossoms #840270
Asked July 12, 2023, 12:02 PM EDT
Do sweet cherry blossoms have to be pollinated in order for there to be a cherry?. I have two cherry trees about 5 feet high which I planted last summer. I had about a hundred blossoms this spring but only got about 6 cherries. Thanks.
Oakland County Michigan
Expert Response
Hello,
Your trees may have dropped fruit. There are many reasons why a cherry tree might lose its fruit. One of the most common causes of a cherry tree dropping fruit results from pollination. Cherry trees can be divided into two categories: self-fruitful and self-unfruitful. As the name implies, trees that are self-fruitful (or self-fertile) do not require additional cherry tree plantings in order to secure a crop of cherries. Recent research suggests that, in sweet cherry at least, a combination of climatic factors can be linked to heavier fruit drops. They include Poor weather (and low light intensity) at blossom time and Low temperatures in the early stages of fruit development. Fruit yields were lower following wet and cold autumns.
Please read this article from MSU on Cherry Pollination at this link: https://www.canr.msu.edu/cherries/horticulture/pollination
I hope this helps!
Your trees may have dropped fruit. There are many reasons why a cherry tree might lose its fruit. One of the most common causes of a cherry tree dropping fruit results from pollination. Cherry trees can be divided into two categories: self-fruitful and self-unfruitful. As the name implies, trees that are self-fruitful (or self-fertile) do not require additional cherry tree plantings in order to secure a crop of cherries. Recent research suggests that, in sweet cherry at least, a combination of climatic factors can be linked to heavier fruit drops. They include Poor weather (and low light intensity) at blossom time and Low temperatures in the early stages of fruit development. Fruit yields were lower following wet and cold autumns.
Please read this article from MSU on Cherry Pollination at this link: https://www.canr.msu.edu/cherries/horticulture/pollination
I hope this helps!
