Cherries · 2027 season
Rainier Cherry Tree
Prunus avium
Needs a partnerYellow cherry with a red blush and very sweet flesh.
- #7 container
- About 1.25" caliper
Pick up in Pittsgrove, NJ, typically in March. Pay cash, check, Venmo or PayPal at pickup.
Rainier is a yellow cherry with a pink-to-red blush, bred in Washington from Bing and Van. The flesh is creamy yellow and very sweet, with low acidity.
It's one of the most prized cherries there is, and among the most expensive in stores.
Birds go for Rainier just as much as red cherries, so plan to net it.
Rainier was bred by Harold Fogle at Washington State University's Prosser station and released in 1960. It was originally planted as a pollinator for Bing.
How it tastes
Very sweet and delicate with very low acidity. The creamy yellow flesh is soft and juicy, almost like candy.
At a glance
- You get
- #7 container, about 1.25" caliper (trunk thickness 6 inches above the soil; each tree varies a little)
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 5–8 (Salem County is 7)
- Blooms
- Mid season
- Ripens
- Mid June
- Starts bearing
- Usually 3–5 years after planting
- Mature size
- A full-size tree; 20 ft or more unless kept pruned
- Pollination
- Needs a partner
- Botanical name
- Prunus avium
- Price
- $88 each, paid at pickup
- Pickup
- Pittsgrove, NJ, typically in March
The fruit
- Looks
- Large, yellow with a red blush, creamy yellow flesh
- Flavor
- Very sweet, low acid
- Best for
- Fresh
- Keeps
- 1–2 weeks in the fridge; bruises easily, so handle gently
Pollination
Needs a second sweet cherry to pollinate it. Bing, Black Tartarian and Stella are all good partners.
Good partners from our list
Growing tips
Watch for: Cracking after heavy rain, brown rot, cherry leaf spot and bacterial canker
- Full sun and very good drainage. Cherries hate wet feet more than most fruit trees.
- Birds love cherries. Plan on netting the tree as the fruit starts to color.
- Water during dry spells, but steadily: a heavy soaking right before harvest can split ripe sweet cherries.
- Prune lightly in late winter or right after harvest.
Spray schedule: Cherry Spray Schedule for New Jersey Home Orchards (Rutgers Cooperative Extension, fact sheet FS115)
New to planting fruit trees? Read our step-by-step planting guide: square hole, graft above the soil, native soil, and no fruit for the first two years.
Photos show the variety, not the exact plant you’ll get. Reservations are for the 2027 season, picked up at our farm in Pittsgrove, NJ, typically in March, and aren’t guaranteed until we confirm them. Questions? Ask us or call or text (856) 345‑4538.
