Prunus cerasus Shangai - Tart Cherry

Prunus cerasus 'Shanghai' is a variety of cherry tree well suited for small gardens. With its columnar habit and compact size, it can even be grown in a large container on a terrace. Its decorative pale pink spring flowering evolves into beautiful dark red, crunchy and sweet cherries. It bears fruit after 2 to 3 years of planting, and it is a self-fertile variety that does not need another cherry tree in the garden to bear fruit. Adapting to most soils, tolerant of watering (except during hot periods and in Mediterranean areas), this variety is highly resistant to diseases.

The sour cherry, in Latin Prunus cerasus (also known as Morello cherry), as well as the sweet cherry Prunus avium, are the two main species that have given rise to most of the sweet fruiting cherries cultivated 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. Its alternate and toothed leaves are shiny, dark green, and then take on a beautiful reddish hue in autumn before falling. Cherries are rich in vitamin C, minerals, and trace elements.

This variety 'Shanghai' forms a small tree with a columnar habit, 3 to 4m (10 to 13ft) in height and only 60cm (24in) wide, with fairly rapid growth. In April, it is covered with beautiful pale pink flowers. After pollination by insects, they produce beautiful dark red, sweet and crunchy cherries. Harvesting from this cherry tree is easy due to its shape. The cherries should be picked when ripe, as they do not ripen further after harvest. Shangai is indeed a self-fertile variety, but it benefits from being pollinated by another variety.

This cherry tree can be planted in the majority of garden soils, tolerating acidity and limestone without excess. Once rooted, it is also tolerant of watering, but occasional supplementary watering is always useful, especially during prolonged hot periods. If planted in a container, watering is obligatory, as the growing conditions are much drier than in open ground and the plant cannot access water from the soil at a distance. Highly hardy, this variety withstands -20 °C. Requiring staking, a light pruning to maintain its narrow habit is sufficient. 

Adapted to all regions, up to an altitude of 800m (2625ft), the Cherry tree can be planted on a lawn, at the back of a bed, or within an orchard. It is important to be vigilant in spring, as the flowering is very sensitive to frost (damage occurs from -2 °C). Thanks to its columnar shape, this variety is very easy to protect in this case using a non-woven fleece cover of 30g/m² to wrap around the foliage. Due to its compact size, it is possible to plant multiple trees spaced only 80cm (32in) to 1m (3ft) apart. By selecting dwarf fruiting varieties, it is also possible to create an orchard in a small area. The dwarf peach tree 'Amber Pix Zee' will be a perfect companion, as well as the dwarf apple tree 'Garden Sun Red'.