The bush cherry alternative

Cherries production in southeast Idaho is a fickle business. Sour or pie cherries are suitably hardy for our climate. Unfortunately, their name matches their flavor. Sweet cherries, on the other hand, are a summer-time delicacy straight from the tree. They are also only hardy to Zone 5. Much of our area is within Zone 5, but winter hardiness is only a piece of the puzzle.

The reality is that southeast Idaho sweet cherry trees tend to be disease-prone and short-lived. I know both you and I have seen frequent exceptions to this tendency. I don’t know why some sweet cherry trees do well while others of the same variety struggle in seemingly identical conditions.

There is a relatively new cherry alternative for growers in our region: the bush cherry. Let me get out in the open that bush cherries aren’t a substitute for sweet cherries. Bush cherries are slightly less sour than common sour/tart cherry tree varieties. In my opinion, they are best thought of as being similar in flavor. However, they are much more cold-hardy (Zone 2), and their size makes them easier to harvest and care for. Few homeowners are interested in committing space to a sour cherry tree. Bush cherries fit in a small space yet produce profusely.

Bush cherries only grow about six feet tall, making them much easier to protect from birds. This allows a producer to leave the cherries to ripen longer on the tree, increasing the fruit’s sugar percentage (Brix level). To compare, the Brix of a traditional sour cherry is about 15. The Brix of bush cherries is just below 20, and sweet cherries range between 20 and 30. This doesn’t tell the whole story, however. Bush cherries have other compounds that make them more tart than sweet cherries (with added health benefits, but that’s another story).

Bush cherry varieties come in what is referred to as the Romance Series. Some varieties include Carmine Jewel (most common), Romeo, Valentine, Juliet, Cupid, and Crimson Passion. Initial breeding and research was done at the University of Saskatchewan. Stock can still be challenging to find, but I’ve occasionally seen them for sale locally. Online vendors are more common.

I’ve had Carmine Jewel bushes for about eight years. They are extremely productive. I’ve learned over time to delay harvest until the fruit darkens to a black/red. Picking them while bright red will lead to disappointment. They aren’t fully ripe until nearly a month after turning red. While I enjoy eating them fresh, we’ve used the bulk as pie filling and making cherry jelly.

For more Idaho home gardening information, join the University of Idaho’s Home Garden Tips every second and fourth Tuesday at 7 p.m. via Zoom. Tuesday, Feb. 27, is on using compost, manure and other soil amendments. To get information on this and other upcoming classes, email lallen@uidaho.edu or call (208) 529-1390.