Cherry (Prunus) Sunburst Colt

Sunburst is a generous, reliable sweet cherry and a great choice if you only have room for one tree. Bred in Canada, it is self-fertile, so it fruits well on its own, and it gives heavy crops of large, sweet cherries in mid to late July. The fruit starts rosy red and ripens to a deep, almost black red, with soft, juicy flesh and a rich flavour that's best enjoyed fresh from the tree. White spring blossom, loved by bees, and warm orange-red autumn foliage make it an attractive garden tree as well as a productive one. It is also a good pollinator for other cherries, including self-sterile varieties such as Penny.

Grown on Colt rootstock, Sunburst makes a sturdy, semi-vigorous tree of around 4m, which annual pruning keeps smaller. It also takes well to fan-training against a sunny south or west-facing wall, which saves space and makes netting against birds straightforward. Plant in full sun in a sheltered spot, in fertile, moist but well-drained soil, and stake firmly while the tree establishes. Sunburst resists fruit splitting better than many cherries, and steady watering through dry spells helps keep the crop in good condition. Prune in summer after harvest rather than in winter, to reduce the risk of silver leaf and bacterial canker. Fully hardy (RHS H6). The fruit is delicious, but the stones and leaves shouldn't be eaten, so keep those out of reach of children and pets.

Each tree is hand-selected before dispatch.

Available from Pengelly Garden Centre.