| North Star is a tart (sour) cherry tree. It produces large cherries with thin, light red skin, red flesh, red juice with small freestone. Fruit will turn mahogany if left on the tree. It is crack resistant and is a natural dwarf tree, growing 6-12' tall. It is self-fruitful and bears heavy crops. Hardy to -40 oF (-40 oC). Since your tree is a natural dwarf, you won't need to do a lot of pruning (pruning is normally done to keep the tree small enough for ease in harvesting). In general, Cherry trees are trained to an open-center system. Retention of the central leader will result in a tall, narrow tree. If a two year old tree is planted, reduce the branches to four well-spaced shoots and shorten each by one-third. Aim to develop a frame-work of well spaced branches that are capable of bearing heavy crops without breaking. In subsequent years, build up the framework branches and cut out entire shoots that are crowded or crossing into the tree center. Narrow angled crotches should be avoided as these are sources of weakness. Hope this answers all your questions! |
