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English Morello Pie Cherry

bare-root trees
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Prunus cerasus
Summer, dark red skin.

Netherlands or Germany, before 1860. Sometimes called Grosse Cerise à Ratafia, Grosse Lang Lothkirsche, Griotte du Nord, Morris and Colorado Morello.

Excellent culinary cherry, recommended for pies and all other cookery. Very dark red-black skin. Dark red flesh and juice. Ripens late, after Montmorency.

Distinctive small roundish tree with drooping branches. Brown-rot resistant.

Despite the name we know it by, it is thought to have originated on the European mainland, eventually finding its way to England and then North America. Self-pollination. Z4/5.

(2½–5' bare-root trees)
ships in spring
Quick Details
Skin Color
dark red
Harvest Season
summer
Hardy to Zone
4
Compare
Compare with other Pie Cherries
Variety Product Type Skin Color Harvest Season Hardy to Zone
Balaton bare-root trees dark red summer 4
English Morello bare-root trees dark red summer 4
Garfield Plantation bare-root trees bright red summer 3
Mesabi bare-root trees red summer 4
Meteor bare-root trees bright scarlet summer 4
Montmorency bare-root trees bright red summer 3
Additional Information

Cherries Prunus spp.

Stone Fruits Widely cultivated around the world and adaptable to most of New England. Not highly particular as to soils. Clingstone means the fruit’s flesh sticks to the pit (or stone) and a freestone pit drops cleanly away from the flesh. Like our apples and pears, all our stone fruits are grafted trees.

Sweet Cherries Prunus avium

Generally grow into large trees although the flowers are tender and fruiting can be iffy in central Maine and north. We are testing the hardiest varieties and hope to keep adding more varieties.

Mature trees reach 25–30' tall.

Pie Cherries Prunus cerasus

Also called Sour Cherries. Delicious enough to eat right off the tree and especially good in pies. They fruit in early to midsummer and don’t mind heavy soil. Pie cherries are generally divided into two groups: Morello types have dark red spherical fruit, dark juice and relatively small compact trees. Montmorency (or Amarelle) types have light red slightly flattened fruit, clear juice and medium-sized somewhat open trees.

Pie cherries are significantly hardier than sweet cherries but flower buds may be damaged in colder winters. We often encounter excellent crops in central Maine.

Mature trees reach 10–15' tall.

Other “Cherries” For some interesting fruits sometimes called “cherries,” see Cornelian Cherries and Nanking Cherries. Sometimes we also stock Bush Cherries and Dwarf Sour Cherries, so check back in future years!

Growing Sweet and Pie Cherries

  • Soil: Prefers well-drained fertile soil; pie cherries are more forgiving and adaptable than sweet cherries.
  • Sun: Full.
  • Pollination:
    • Most sweet cherries need a second variety for pollination, so plant two or more for best results.
    • Pie cherries are self-pollinating.
  • Spacing:
    • Plant sweet cherries 25' apart.
    • Plant pie cherries 15–20' apart.
  • Planting: See our planning and planting and pests and diseases pages for more information about soil prep, planting and pest control.

Shipping

Items from our perennial plants warehouse ordered on or before February 20 will ship from March through early May, starting with warmer areas and finishing in colder areas.

Orders placed after February 20 will ship from April to May.