For a sweet cherry tree (Prunus avium) to produce fruit, pollen must pass from the male part of the flower, the stamen, to the female part of the flower, the pistil. Pollinating insects help by moving the pollen from one flower part to the other. Sweet cherry trees, including "Bing," require pollen from a different cherry cultivar nearby to make fruit. These are known as pollinizers. Both insects and other cherry varieties are considered pollinators of "Bing" cherry.
"Bing" Cherry Trees
Named for the foreman, Ah "Bing," in Seth Lewelling’s 19th century Oregon fruit tree nursery, the "Bing" cherry is the most popular sweet cherry cultivar. The tree grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 8 and reaches heights up to 20 feet. It produces small, white flower clusters and dark red, sweet, juicy fruit, suitable for fresh eating and cooking. "Bing" cherry trees require well-drained soil and regular watering, as they are susceptible to root diseases.
Although "Bing" cherry flowers have both male and female structures, they are unable to fertilize themselves. The tree requires other cultivars and insects to move the pollen to the "Bing" cherry tree. Conversely, sour cherry varieties are self-fruitful, meaning they can produce fruit with pollen, transferred by insects, from flowers on the same tree. Sour cherry varieties can provide pollen for "Bing" cherries if their bloom periods coincide.
For cherry pollinizers to pollinate "Bing" cherry trees, they must be in bloom at the same time. They must also be planted close together to ensure that insects visit each tree. Several cultivars with overlapping bloom times are suitable for "Bing" pollinization including "Lapins," "Stella," "Black Tartarian," "Black Republican," "Van," "Sam" and "Windsor."
Pollen moves from flower to flower with the help of an agent such as wind, water, insects, birds and mammals. The most common agents for pollination are insects, particularly bees. The highly concentrated, sugary nectar of sweet cherry blossoms attracts honeybees, as does the protein-rich pollen. For each trip a bee makes to an area with cherry trees, it can visit more than 400 flowers. Once bees find a good food source, they will return repeatedly, making them an important cherry pollinator.
- University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources: Selecting Fruit, Nut, and Berry Crops for Home Gardens in San Mateo and San Francisco Counties
- Oregon State University Agricultural Experiment Station: Cherry on Top: Oregon Sweet Cherries Make Their Mark on the World
- Washington State University Spokane County Extension: Pollination of Fruit Trees
- Department of Horticulture Purdue University Cooperative Extension: Pollination of Fruits and Nuts
- University of Connecticut College of Agriculture and Natural Resources: Why Fruit Trees Fail to Bear
- University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources: Sweet Cherries for the Home Grounds
- Monrovia: Bing Sweet Cherry
- New South Wales Department of Agriculture: Honey Bees in Cherry and Plum Pollination
- BananaStock/BananaStock/Getty Images