Today I stopped by a local nursery and see a tree labled “Sweet Cherry-Brooks Cherry”. The nursery claims they are one of the only sweet cherries that will do well here in TN/KY area’s zone 6b/7a (I’m on the state and zone line). Since I’ve always read that sweet cherries are difficult to impossible here (even though I’m trying some already), I was going to dismiss it as nothing more than a marketing ploy. However, when I Google it, I do find several descriptions that say it does well in hotter areas than most sweet cherries. So what, if anything, do you all know about this tree? Is it really the fabled warm weather sweet cherry? (I’m doubtful, but have to ask!)
Thanks.
http://www.davewilson.com/product-information-commercial/product/brooks-cherry
Go back to your link above and read down to the bottom. It says this:
Brooks ripens ahead of Bing and is very susceptible to cracking in rain.
Brooks is a CA cherry and is suitable to hot summer weather because it doesn’t double. That means it doesn’t form many twin fruits. But it is highly susceptible to cracking if it rains near harvest. So it is one of the last cherries you’d want to plant in TN. Don’t trust that nursery.
If you want to try cherries get those bred in NY for humid climates. Even they are a poor bet in TN.
Thanks fruitnut. I did see the part about cracking in the rain. I guess I’m willing to accept that issue because- as I know from my gardening- we have had 2 summers in a row with almost no rain here- it rained 4 times between June 18 and August 12 last year. The year before wasn’t much better. ITs always drier than people think in my area during harvest months. But it sounds like there are more issues than just cracking. And just so you know…I DON’T trust that nursery. They don’t handle many fruit trees and have given me information that even I knew to be wrong in the past. But its close by and I enjoy looking at what they have.
I know all sweet cherries are almost impossible here, but I have the space, time, and enjoy the trees even if they don’t produce. What kills me is that the sweet cherries I have are the fastest growing, healthiest looking trees in my entire orchard. I know that doesn’t translate into fruit…but it keeps the dream alive! 
Thanks again.
We have Brooks as one of our trail cherries here this year. Still too early to tell how it will do. Think its more suited to our dry hot climate than a wet humid southern one. But Willis Orchard Co seems to be promoting them as able to do well in the south, if you can believe a company that is trying to sell you something. 
Amadio, where are you located? Also, is your Brooks cherry blooming, yet?
I hope it is not the only cherry for y9ur area as it requires a pollenizer. I used Tulare and Coral Champagne. Unfortunately all three died from Cotton Root Rot their 3rd summer in ground. Oh well, probably wouldn’t have fruited much here anyway.
Outskirts of Phoenix. I just grafted brooks on this season so no blooms likely for a few years. Ive got it grafted on a few of our minnie royal/royal lees as a hold for later grafting. Also have it grafted onto krysmk 5 by itself. Might graft it onto some 3CR178 rootstock I have later in the year.
I saw the Willis orchard thing myself, which is part of what made me think there really might be something to my local nursery’s claim that Brooks would do well here. But as you said, Amadioranch, they are both in the tree selling business so I take their claims with a grain of salt.
FN- thanks for pointing out the need for a pollinator, but fortunately I did know that and I have several different varieties of sweet cherries nearby (this is where people usually remind me that they are all a big waste of time, but as I’ve repeatedly said, I’m ok with having them as they are beautiful trees year round and especially when they bloom. If we get the perfect weather some year and they produce a few cherries, that would be a bonus. If not, I still don’t regret having “decorative cherry trees”)
Sounds like several of you have Brooks Cherries, which is nice to know. I must confess that I ended up getting one too! Don’t be too hard on me.
city:
In CA a tenth of rain is often a disaster with Brooks. I’m not buying this doesn’t rain in TN business, at least not compared to CA. Just humid weather can be an issue. Hope this isn’t being too hard on you and I do hope you get some fruit!!
No, No, you are 100% correct. I certainly didn’t mean to imply that we are dry in the same sense that CA or other areas are, nor did I know that even a 10th of inch or even humidity (which we certainly have) was a big deal to a Brooks. And 2 dry summers doesn’t really say anything about the real, long term weather patterns (I learned that from the global warming threads! haha). Your statements also confirm that “dry” is relative. Dry for my area just means dry compared to the last few years, but for folks out west I’d say 4 good rains in a summer would be a lot! So this kind of specific, variety related lesson is exactly what I’m here for. As long as you aren’t offended by me trying some long shots, I’m not offended by you telling me that they ARE long shots (or worse). 
As always, thanks for the help.
No reason for me to be offended and I’m certainly not. Just trying to avoid too much disappointment. I do like cherry trees. They are ornamental!! I’ve spent more than $1,000 trying to grow cherries here both outdoors and in the greenhouse. All that and 11 yrs effort have probably yielded 30 lbs of fruit total from 40+ trees. Some fruit has been big, beautiful and 32 brix. Actually I’ve enjoyed the effort. But it’s not fun watching trees die, fruit frozen, lack of set, and critters stealing what little fruit sets. One yr I covered all ~100 fruits on 16 big outdoor trees with baggies to protect from birds. The coons stole every fruit in one night!!! A freeze in March took the other 99.8%.
HOLY COW!!! I had no idea you were speaking from that depth of experience. If you, a true Fruitnut in every since of the word, had that kind of experience, I’m ready to beak out the chainsaw right now! haha. No, as long as they continue to look good they’ll have a home. As I’ve said, that’s the part that gives me false hope…in all honestly, my sweet cherry trees are by far the healthiest, largest, most beautiful trees in my orchard. That seems so contrary to what everyone has told me that I keep thinking maybe they will defy expectations on fruiting. you just ruined that dream! haha