Planting a Sunburst sweet cherry tree in a garden provides several benefits and reasons for interest:
Late Season Harvest: Sunburst sweet cherries ripen in August, extending the harvesting season and complementing other fruit trees in the garden.
Large, Sweet Fruit: The tree produces large, sweet cherries with an almost black hue when ripe, adding a delightful element to fresh consumption or culinary uses.
Self-Fertile with Pollination Advantage: While self-fertile, cross-pollination with another cherry tree enhances yield, encouraging gardeners to consider multiple cherry varieties for increased harvests.
Manageable Size: Grown on Colt rootstock, the tree can reach 8-12 feet but is easily pruned to 6-8 feet, making it suitable for smaller gardens and easy maintenance.
Attractant for Beneficial Insects: Recognized by the RHS, the tree attracts bees and beneficial insects, promoting pollination and supporting a healthier garden ecosystem.
Wildlife Attraction: The tree's flowers attract moths and night-flying insects, potentially drawing in bats as natural pest controllers. This contributes to biodiversity and a balanced garden ecosystem.
In summary, a Sunburst sweet cherry tree offers a late-season harvest, large and sweet fruit, self-fertility with pollination benefits, manageable size, attraction of beneficial insects, and the potential to encourage wildlife like bats. These features make it an appealing choice for gardeners aiming to diversify their fruit harvest while creating a wildlife-friendly environment.