Prunus cerasus Maynard - Tart Cherry

The Prunus cerasus Maynard is a dwarf cherry tree variety, well suited for small gardens. The subject proposed here is also grafted at 1/4 stem, which allows it to be cultivated in a container on a terrace. This cherry tree blooms in late March and produces beautiful red cherries in July, with a sweet and juicy flesh. Not self-fertile, it requires pollination by Griotella to fruit properly. Maynard grows with a relatively narrow pyramidal habit, which facilitates fruit harvesting. Adapting to most soils, tolerant in terms of watering (except during periods of intense heat and in Mediterranean regions), this variety is easy to grow.

The sour cherry tree, in Latin Prunus cerasus (also called Morello cherry tree), as well as the sweet cherry tree Prunus avium, are the two main species that have given rise to most of the cultivated sweet cherry trees in our gardens. They belong to the Rosaceae family, one of the most important under our latitudes, both for fruit and ornamental gardens, as well as for wild flora. The cherry tree is a medium-sized tree, reaching 5 to 10 m (16 to 33ft) in height as an adult. Its rounded habit offers a beautiful shaded space, very pleasant during the summer. Its alternate and toothed leaves are shiny, dark green, and then take on a pretty reddish hue in autumn before falling. Cherries are rich in vitamin C, minerals, and trace elements.
This 'Maynard' variety forms a small upright, pyramidal to conical tree, 2 to 3 m (7 to 10ft) tall with a spread of 1.50 m (5ft). It is grafted low, at 1/4 stem, which facilitates harvesting and will even allow children to help themselves! In late March, it is adorned with a decorative white flowering, which after pollination by insects, will produce red to dark red cherries in early July, with a sweet and juicy flesh.

Able to grow up to an altitude of 800 m (2625ft), the cherry tree can be planted on a short grass meadow, at the back of a flower bed, or within an orchard. One must be vigilant in spring, as the flowering is very sensitive to frost (damage can occur from -2°C (28.4°F). Thanks to its compact shape, this variety is very easy to protect in such cases using a non-woven 30 g/m² fabric to wrap around the foliage. This compact Cherry tree is well suited for small gardens, planted as a specimen tree or to form a small orchard, alongside other dwarf or small-sized fruit trees, such as the Dwarf Goldust Plum tree which does not exceed 1.50 m (5ft) in height or the Dwarf Garden Gem Pear tree with the same proportions.