The sweet fragrance of white cherry blossoms in spring will burst into rich, large fruits in summer with their tasty, sweet flesh. In autumn, the green serrated leaves turn golden – truly a tree for all seasons. It is, however, the cherries that they are known for.
‘Bing’ cherry trees produce deep red heart-shaped fruits with a sweet, delicious taste and small seeds, giving you more cherry for your pie. These vigorous growers are perfect for temperate climates and will produce up to 50 pounds of fruit per year for many years to come.
The prolific fruit on this tree, the large size of the cherries, and the deep red color all make this the variety to plant. It requires a pollinator tree planted nearby, which adds to the variation in cherries you can grow in a home garden. Here, I’ll share the requirements ‘Bing’ cherries need to perform at their best.
‘Bing’ Cherry Tree
‘Bing’ Cherry Trees:
- yield up to 50 pounds of sweet fruit per year
- produce cherries great for pies or fresh eating
- have ornamental and fragrant spring blossoms
- grow well in zones 5-8
buy at Epic Gardening Shop
Overview
The ‘Bing’ cherry tree is scientifically classified under the genus Prunus and species Prunus avium.
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What Is It?
A six-foot-tall Chinese immigrant named Ah Bing developed the distinctive ‘Bing’ cherry.
Prunus avium ‘Bing’ is America’s most produced variety of cherry in the commercial market. Its origins have a colorful history, starting in the mid-1800s when the Lewelling family traveled west across the country from Iowa to Oregon, bringing with them 700 fruit trees. They started the first nursery on the West Coast and planted orchards of prunes, apples, and cherries, which is believed was the beginning of Oregon’s fruit-growing industry.
The ‘Bing’ cherry tree was named for Chinese horticulturalist and foreman at the Lewelling orchards, Ah Bing. His legacy lives on in this award-winning cherry cultivar. For the nearly 150 years that the ‘Bing’ cherry has been in production, it has set the standard by which other cultivars are judged.
Native Area
The ‘Bing’ cherry was bred in Milwaukie, Oregon, from trees brought from Iowa.
Originally from Germany, these trees are descendants of the ‘Napoleon Bigarreau’ variety. The ‘Bing’ cherry was bred in Milwaukie, Oregon, from original trees brought from Iowa by the Henderson Luelling.
Characteristics
‘Bing’ requires nearby pollinators like ‘Sam’ or ‘Van’ to bear fruit.
‘Bing’ is a tall tree with a rounded canopy that can grow up to 35 feet and 25 feet wide. Dwarf varieties are more compact, with a mature height of around 15 feet and 12 feet wide. The leaves are long, serrated, dark green for most of the year, and turn golden yellow in the fall.
The tree will be full of pretty, fragrant spring blossoms that form the sought-after large fruits, a deep red when ripe in the summer.
This tree is a vigorous grower and a prolific producer of quality, firm cherries.
‘Bing’ requires another pollinator cherry close by to set fruit; it is not self-pollinating. The best-recommended varieties to plant as pollinators are ‘Sam’, ‘Van’, ‘Rainier’, and ‘Stella’.
Planting
Prepare the hole adequately and use a stake for stability when planting ‘Bing’ cherry trees.
Find a position in full sun and with enough space for the mature size of a ‘Bing’ cherry—at least 25 feet—and a pollinator cherry. Locate it away from other plants and buildings in a spot with plenty of sunlight.
Dig a hole at least twice the width and height of the root ball so that the roots have a chance to expand and sit in the ground well to hold the weight of the tree. A stake is necessary, particularly in windy areas. Add the tree and backfill the soil, pressing it down as you go to remove any air pockets in the soil and prevent any bacterial infections from getting to the roots.
Create a basin around the tree’s base to help direct water toward the roots. After planting, water the plant well and add a layer of mulch, making sure that the mulch does not touch the tree’s bark.
Transplanting
Preserve root ball and prune severely when transplanting tall trees.
As these trees grow very tall, it’s unwise to transplant the tree. If there is no choice, dig out the tree, keeping as much of the root ball intact as possible before planting in the new position. After planting, prune the tree back severely. This directs the trees energy to the roots so they can establish quickly.
Growing from Seed
Buy a mature tree from a nursery for quicker fruit harvesting.
It is possible to grow a cherry tree from a pit, but it would mean waiting a very long time for the tree to produce any fruit. After all, that is why we plant cherries. Rather, buy a properly grown and healthy tree that is a few years old at a nursery so that cherry harvesting season would be a few years at most.
How to Grow
With the correct growing requirements, a ‘Bing’ cherry tree would be a good producer of quality fruit for years. They will also be less susceptible to any pests and diseases that may be around.
Light
Planting the ‘Bing’ variety requires a minimum of 6-8 hours of daily sunlight.
For maximum fruit production, ‘Bing’ needs at least 6-8 hours of sunlight daily. That means planting in your best full-sun position.
Water
Make sure to water newly planted trees once a week for at least 30 seconds.
Water newly planted trees for at least 30 seconds once a week. They should generally receive an inch of rain every week. To test if they need water, dig down two inches; if the soil there is dry, then water. Water more often in hot, dry conditions.
Soil
Optimal conditions for ‘Bing’ cherry trees include sandy, well-draining soil.
‘Bing’ cherries prefer soil that is on the sandy side but very well-draining. A pH level of 6-7 is ideal. If your soil is too acidic or alkaline, you can amend it easily to create favorable conditions.
Temperature and Humidity
‘Bing’ cherries need 700 chill hours below 45°F to fruit.
To set fruit, ‘Bing’ cherries require at least 700 chill hours at temperatures below 45°F (7°C). These trees grow well in hardiness zones 5-8, making them adaptable to a wide range of climates.
They are hardy to -10°F (-23°C). Like other sweet cherry varieties, they prefer low humidity.
Fertilizing
Apply balanced fertilizer with high nitrogen content in spring before new growth.
Feed this tree with a balanced fertilizer with a high nitrogen value, like 10:10:10, in spring, just before the trees start sprouting their new growth. This annual feeding is all they need to produce a good crop of fruit each year. Keep the fertilizer away from the tree’s trunk at least six to eight inches.
Maintenance
‘Bing’ cherries require annual removal of dead or diseased branches.
These trees require very little maintenance, but they do require removing dead and diseased branches so that the tree does not become stressed. The only other important maintenance requirement is annual pruning.
Pruning
Annually prune cherry trees like ‘Bing’ by selecting main branches.
Prune ‘Bing’ cherry trees once a year to ensure a good harvest the following year. The idea of pruning is to get sunlight into the canopy of the tree and into the center so that enough light falls on all the branches to get the tree flowering and fruiting in the season. To do this, pick your main branches with care, cut off any crossing branches, and open up the canopy by removing branches that cross each other, inhibiting airflow.
Use a combination of a sharp pair of pruners, a lopper, and a tree saw for this task, cleaning and sterilizing between trees so as not to carry any diseases from one tree to another. Burn any diseased branches after cutting away.
Harvesting
Conduct a taste test of ‘Bing’ cherries before harvesting to determine their readiness for picking.
Cherries from the ‘Bing’ variety will be ready for harvest in early summer. They need to be a deep red color before attempting any harvest, as cherries will not ripen on the tree. Taste test a few before harvesting a batch. When they are ready, you can twist them off the stems easily.
Common Problems
Yellow sticky traps are an ideal way to see what pests are around and how big the problems are. Large infestations must be dealt with immediately; some are minor nuisances, and some will destroy your crop entirely.
Apart from the following pests and diseases to look out for, ‘Bing’ has relatively few problems if all their needs are met. However, heavy rain that occurs when the fruit is ready for harvesting may cause the fruit to crack.
Pests
Spray off cherry aphids with a strong jet from the hose.
Sucking insects like cherry aphids, western cherry fruit flies, peach tree borer, and spider mites may become a problem. They should be dealt with swiftly and appropriately to avoid increased infections of other plants and trees nearby.
Cherry aphids are sucking insects that can be seen on the underside of leaves, and often, these can be removed with a jet of water. Beneficial insects like ladybugs are good deterrents for these sucking insects, and getting rid of any ants who use aphids as tools to produce honeydew is a good start. Avoid chemical intervention with this minor type of pest.
Peach tree borer is another matter, as this pest that bores into the tree’s wood can eventually cause the tree’s demise. You can spot the damage by the holes punched into the trunk and branches, and if you peel away the bark, the tunnels of these pests will clearly be seen. Cut away and destroy any infected areas.
Western cherry fruit flies attack the harvest by laying eggs on the fruit, from which larvae hatch and burrow into it, making it inedible. At the first signs of these pests, action needs to be taken, and chemical pesticides must be employed. It is important to read the instructions for these pesticides carefully and do the follow-up treatments because the larvae will hatch on a continuous basis. Wash the fruit carefully before eating, and never eat fruit off a tree that has been sprayed.
Diseases
Bacterial canker manifests as sticky residue in dark areas on branches and leaves.
Look out for diseases like black knot and bacterial canker on cherry trees.
Black Knot
Black knot is caused by the fungus Apiosporina morbosa. It manifests as black tar-like galls or swellings that develop, and a growth point or fruit spurs from the spores landing on these areas. They can be 1-6 inches in length. Cut away all the problem areas and burn the infected branches. Make sure to sterilize secateurs or loppers so as not to infect other areas of the tree. There is no known chemical treatment for this fungus, so heavy infestations will result in the tree having to be removed.
Bacterial Canker
Bacterial canker is common amongst cherry trees and can be seen in dark areas, where sticky residue forms on branches, buds, leaves, and fruit. It is seen more often in spring and autumn. Leaves and buds will die, and the whole tree will eventually become infected. Treat it as soon as it’s noticed with an appropriate copper-based product. This disease is often the result of poor drainage in soils that have become waterlogged and is preventing the roots from getting enough air circulation.
Silver Leaf
The fungal disease silver leaf is caused by the pathogen Chondrostereum purpureum, which infects trees through wounds from pruning and garden tools. It causes the leaves of the tree to turn silvery. This is a sign the tree is in decline. If you notice silvery leaves, there is no cure. The best thing to do is remove damaged parts, and burn them. Prevent the disease by using proper pruning techniques, and avoiding the use of heavy machinery around the trunk.
Blossom Wilt
Blossom wilt presents itself as browning spots on buds, and later stages develop conidia on buds and bark. The pathogen Monilia laxa is to blame. It generally survives and overwinters in dead foliage and branches at the base of the tree. Remove these to prevent the disease. If you see symptoms of blossom wilt, spray them with copper fungicides to prevent spread to fruit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Depending on the conditions, these cherries can grow to a height of 35 feet at a rate of 13-24 inches a year.
Firstly, cherry season is not very long, with harvesting only taking place once the cherries are ripe on the tree in late spring to mid-summer. Then, it’s a very labor-intensive fruit that has to be harvested by hand. They also don’t grow in all areas, and some require long transportation routes. It’s better just to buy your own trees and harvest them in your backyard.
Cherries contain high amounts of melatonin, which studies have shown can improve sleep. However, they provide ample nutritional benefits, like vitamins A and C and magnesium.
Final Thoughts
‘Bing’ has become the most well-known and preferred cherry variety in America. If this isn’t reason enough to choose this tree for your back garden, simply taste one! It’s like growing a delicious taste of history.
