Prunus Avium Regina Sweet Cherry

Prunus Avium Regina or Sweet Cherry Regina
A cultivar of the wild cherry Prunus Avium, Prunus Avium Regina is a late-season black dessert cherry, ready for harvest in mid-to-late July. This small, deciduous tree is grown both for its good flavoured, large cherries, the ornamental appeal of its spring blossoms and its elegant form. Noted for its resistance to fruit-cracking. It is also grown commercially.

The showy cherry blossoms adorn the crown of the tree in early to mid-spring. The 5-petaled, white blossoms are followed by a crop of fruit of good quality, large and almost black in colour. The flavour of the fruit is sweet and aromatic. The foliage, consisting of ovate, toothed leaves, is dark green for the better part of the year, but turns to shades of orange in red in the autumn, offering interest until the first frosts.    

Height and Spread of Prunus Avium Regina
In 10 years, this deciduous fruit tree will grow to be circa 4 metres high, with a spread of 3 metres.

How Hardy Is Prunus Avium Regina
Fully hardy in the United Kingdom, Sweet Cherry Regina can suffer from stem dieback in areas where winters are more severe. Bred specifically to be resistant to fruit-cracking, this cherry cultivar has a good constitution and performance in British gardens.

How To Use Prunus Avium Regina
Often grown commercially, Sweet Cherry Regina is suitable for mass planting, and can be grown solely for the delicious cherries it produces. However, as it is also quite decorative, this deciduous cultivar can be grown on its own, as a specimen tree. Its profusion of spring flowers and excellent autumn colour make this variety a valuable addition to any landscape. As a self-sterile plant, Sweet Cherry Regina will need a pollination partner to produce fruit. Plant a different cherry variety nearby, preferably one that blooms at approximately the same time as Regina.  

How To Care For Prunus Avium Regina
To ensure this fruit tree thrives, grow it in moderately fertile soil that is well-drained, and in a spot in full sun. This cultivar will appreciate a sheltered location in the garden, that will keep its delicate blossoms away from harsh winds. Suitable for fan training. Pruning should be done annually, and the method will depend on the training form of the tree. In most cases, simple removal of congested and damages shoots will suffice.

Resilient and highly-decorative, this lovely tree offers multiple seasons of interest and an abundant yield of aromatic cherries. Grow it as a specimen tree, or for the edible fruit it produces, that can be eaten raw or used to make juices and preserves.