Cherries Cultivars
& Pollination Guide
Complete S-allele cross-compatibility guides, flowering overlap charts, and practical orchard management notes for sweet and sour cherry cultivars.
Cherry S-Allele Genetics & Pollination Principles
Sweet and sour cherry flowering periods are classified into numbered bloom groups (1 through 5). Cross-pollination requires overlapping bloom timing between genetically compatible cultivars.
Sweet cherry is gametophytically self-incompatible. Cultivars in the same Incompatibility Group (sharing identical S-alleles) are mutually sterile and cannot pollinate one another despite overlapping bloom.
Cultivars carrying the mutated S4′ allele (e.g. Stella, Lapins, Sweetheart) and sour cherries (e.g. Montmorency) set full crops alone. Self-fertile sweet cherries also act as universal pollen donors.
Curated Cherry Cultivar Guides (26)
Explore 26 curated pomological profiles and cross-pollination compatibility guides for cherry cultivars.
Rainier Sweet Cherry
Cherry CultivarRainier cherry pollination guide: S-genotype (S1S4, Group IX), compatible pollinizers (Bing, Van, Lapins), bloom overlap, and orchard management.
Schmidt Sweet Cherry (Schmidt Bigarreau)
Cherry CultivarSchmidt cherry pollination guide: S-genotype (S2S4, Group XIII), compatible partners (Bing, Rainier, Van), bloom overlap, and orchard management.
Van Sweet Cherry
Cherry CultivarVan cherry pollination guide: S-genotype (S1S3, Group II), compatible partners, universal donor dynamics, bloom overlap, and orchard management.
Bing Sweet Cherry
Cherry CultivarBing cherry pollination guide: S-genotype (S3S4, Group III), compatible pollinizers (Van, Rainier, Lapins), bloom overlap, and orchard management.
Emperor Francis Sweet Cherry
Cherry CultivarEmperor Francis cherry pollination: S-genotype (S3S4, Group III), compatible partners (Van, Rainier, Lapins), bloom overlap, and orchard management.
Kristin Sweet Cherry
Cherry CultivarKristin cherry pollination guide: S-genotype (S3S4, Group III), compatible partners (Van, Rainier, Lapins), bloom overlap, and cold climate care.
Ulster Sweet Cherry
Cherry CultivarUlster cherry pollination guide: S-genotype (S3S4, Group III), compatible partners (Rainier, Van, Lapins), bloom overlap, and orchard management.
Kordia Sweet Cherry (Attika)
Cherry CultivarKordia (Attika) cherry pollination guide: S-genotype (S3S6, Group VI), late bloom overlap, compatible partners (Regina, Skeena), and orchard care.
Black Pearl Sweet Cherry (NY 8139)
Cherry CultivarBlack Pearl cherry pollination guide: S-genotype (S4S13, Group XLV), early bloom overlap, compatible partners (Chelan, Lapins), and management.
Chelan Sweet Cherry
Cherry CultivarChelan cherry pollination guide: S-genotype (S3S9, Group XVI), early bloom overlap, compatible pollinizers (Lapins, Sweetheart), and orchard care.
Black Tartarian Sweet Cherry
Cherry CultivarBlack Tartarian cherry pollination guide: S-genotype (S1S2, Group I), compatible partners (Bing, Rainier, Lapins), bloom overlap, and heritage care.
Knight's Early Black Sweet Cherry
Cherry CultivarKnight's Early Black cherry pollination: S-genotype (S1S2, Group I), early bloom overlap, compatible partners, and heritage orchard management.
Regina Sweet Cherry
Cherry CultivarRegina cherry pollination guide: S-genotype (S1S3, Group II), late bloom overlap, compatible partners (Kordia, Skeena, Sweetheart), and orchard care.
Stella Sweet Cherry
Cherry CultivarStella cherry pollination guide: self-fertile S4′ universal donor mechanics, bloom overlap, cross-compatibility, and backyard/commercial care.
Sunburst Sweet Cherry
Cherry CultivarSunburst cherry pollination guide: self-fertile S4′ genetics, large fruit sizing, universal donor value, bloom overlap, and orchard management.
Selah Sweet Cherry (Washington 3-13)
Cherry CultivarSelah cherry pollination guide: self-fertile S3S4′ genotype, universal donor capability, bloom overlap, and commercial orchard management.
Lapins Sweet Cherry
Cherry CultivarLapins cherry pollination guide: self-fertile S1S4′ universal donor mechanics, bloom overlap, heavy-set management, and orchard design.
Skeena Sweet Cherry
Cherry CultivarSkeena cherry pollination guide: self-fertile S1S4′ genotype, late bloom overlap, universal donor role, and commercial orchard management.
Sweetheart Sweet Cherry
Cherry CultivarSweetheart cherry pollination guide: self-fertile S3S4′ genotype, late harvest, universal donor dynamics, and commercial block management.
Tehranivee Sweet Cherry (V 69061)
Cherry CultivarTehranivee cherry pollination: self-fertile S4′ genotype, crack resistance, universal donor role, bloom overlap, and eastern climate care.
Balaton Sour Cherry (Újfehértói fürtös)
Cherry CultivarBalaton sour cherry pollination: self-incompatible tart exception, compatible pollinizers (Montmorency, Morello), bloom overlap, and care.
Kizil-Geyva Sour Cherry (Giot)
Cherry CultivarKizil-Geyva sour cherry pollination: species compatibility (Prunus cerasus), companion partners (Montmorency, Morello), and heritage cooking care.
Montmorency Sour Cherry (Amarelle)
Cherry CultivarMontmorency cherry pollination guide: self-fertile Amarelle tart cherry, solitary block planting, frost resilience, and commercial processing care.
Morello Sour Cherry (English Morello)
Cherry CultivarMorello cherry pollination guide: self-fertile dark tart cherry, solitary planting, northern aspect cropping, and culinary orchard management.
North Star Dwarf Sour Cherry
Cherry CultivarNorth Star cherry pollination guide: naturally dwarf self-fertile sour cherry, extreme cold hardiness (-40°F), solitary cropping, and care.
Merton Glory Sweet Cherry
Cherry CultivarMerton Glory cherry pollination guide: S-genotype (S4S6, Group XVII), compatible pollinizers (Van, Bing, Stella), bloom overlap, and orchard management.
Check a Cherry Cultivar
Looking for Rainier, Lapins, Montmorency, or heritage sweet cherries? Test S-allele cross-compatibility in our interactive checker.
Model Your Cherry Block in Our Free Tools
Check supported pollination pairings for this crop, or plan block spacing and a nursery tree order for crops covered by the layout tool.
Fruit Tree Pollination Checker
Select a supported cherry cultivar to see compatible partners, flowering overlap, and ruled-out crosses.
Commercial Orchard Layout Planner
Calculate high-density tree spacing, row geometry, equipment clearances at full canopy, and establishment costs.