Wild Cherry
The first cherries in Ukraine ripen in late May in the southern regions of Kherson and Odesa.
Sweet Cherry (Prunus avium) is one of the oldest cultivated fruit trees, with a history spanning over three thousand years. Originating in the West Asian region, it has long since established itself in European gardens and parks, thriving as naturally as if native. Wild specimens still flourish in the forests of Europe and the Caucasus, yet our garden varieties represent millennia of careful selection by gardeners seeking the sweetest and largest fruits.
Sweet cherry astounds with its springtime beauty: in April and May, the tree becomes enveloped in a cloud of white flowers, often double-petalled. It bears a modest crown, dark green oval foliage that turns warm golden and crimson in autumn. When fruiting season arrives, the branches display glossy, succulent berries ranging from pale yellow to deep red, almost black. Each cultivar has its own character: some berries lean tart, others surprisingly sweet; some are firm, others delicately soft.
In the garden, sweet cherry is an excellent choice for those seeking both harvest and genuine ornament. It harmonises beautifully with morello cherry, apple, and plum, creating a true fruit garden. It thrives particularly well in Ukraine's southern and central regions, where the sun is generous. Should you have a sunny, open space on your property, this tree will reward your patience — undemanding in care, requiring only occasional watering, yet repaying you with abundant harvests.
Fascinating to note that Ukraine's earliest cherries ripen on the southern coast — in Kherson and Odesa, the first sweet berries can be harvested by late May. For the gardener, this represents a small but delightful victory: planting a tree that fruits weeks before those of friends further north. It is precisely for such generosity and beauty that sweet cherry has long captured the hearts of gardeners worldwide.
Wild Cherry — planting & location
Large sweet fruits; heat-loving variety.
How to water Wild Cherry
Particularly important during fruit ripening.
Fertilizing and pruning: Wild Cherry
Remove diseased and dead branches.