‘Montmorency’

 

This ‘Montmorency’ cherry was planted as a replacement for a poorly performing ‘Ashmead’s Kernel’ apple, and when I discovered that I can no longer eat apples. It has turned out to be much slower growing than the apple trees. It is also much more ornamental than the apple tree. None of my fruiting apple trees have a very impressive spring blossom, and that was probably a good thing since a heavy bloom would mean more thinning. The apple trees also have rather lackluster fall color. The neighbor’s sweet cherry trees also did not have a very attractive floral show or fall color, and I suspected this one would not either. Since I was planting for fruit rather than ornamental qualities, it didn’t really matter to me. But ‘Montmorency’, a sour cherry, has turned out to be stellar. Not only does it have an attractive spring show of blossoms (although admittedly not as impressive as that of ornamental cherry trees), but it has very nice fall color, shiny red bark, and a nice tree form. It also produces fruit that I can eat! What a winner! The leaves stayed green until late this year. One day there was one yellow leaf, and the next day most of the leaves had turned yellow-orange. The following day was glorious.