I think it’s good, it’s more sweet and less sour than rhubarb… These aren’t super ripe yet, they get better as they hang on the bush, but I ate a bunch yesterday while I was working near the bushes.
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Something not right. Wowza is bigger than Juliet. Maybe just a bad first year. Taste is pretty good too. Yes definitely lower production but the large size (largest tart cherry I ever saw). Did make the bags fill fast.
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A quote from University of Sackatchewan:
“Big Red is currently being marketed in the USA as ‘Wowza®’. The variety has unusually large red cherries that were 50% longer than wide with small lobes on the bottom appearing to look like a small apple.”
Gurney’s photo:
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yeah, I know its supposed to be, but mine are definitely smaller than my juliet, from bushes that were larger than my juliet. maybe theres a nutrition issue with those specific bushes or something. There were also a lot of flowers on my wowza this spring, but still I got very few cherries. They do have the notably oblong pits, so Im pretty sure they are the right variety.
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Interesting. Hopefully better production and size in the future. I have found on Juliet the flavor is getting better once bush matured. Very tasty as a syrup.
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I got a few cherries off my cupid for the first time this year, they seem a little more meaty and less watery than other romance cherries, like juliet. Anyone else notice this? I only got a couple and it is the first year they are producing, but Im trying to prop some of those, so I have enough to put in a full 300ft row maybe next summer or the year after. Ive been spacing bush cherries at about 15ft in my rows, so need 20 or so.
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I bit the bullet and just got this one since no other nursery had it in stock.
Wow, pretty small plant for 70 bucks, wish HoneyBerryUSA had it in stock.
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Having had this tree for five years or so, main complaint is it is a low producer. Cherries are bigger than the other romance cherries. But production is about half of Juliet. I still pan on keeping it. Cherries are excellent made into syrup. Very tasty I will always grow at least one of the romance series. I really like the flavor of the cherries. Seems to improve with age too. I now only grow Juliet and wowza.
Juliet (easy to keep low , tree is five feet tall about ten years old)
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Ive got 2 that are 4 or 5 years old, last spring they flowered but only got maybe 10 cherries / bush, they are about 6ft tall. They arent super close to any other sour cherries, so maybe thats part of the problem. Im going to pull them out if they dont produce better this year! They are suckering like crazy already, I rooted enough suckers last spring to plant a full 300 ft row of them last fall, but Im not sure if that was a good idea or not, might end up pulling them all out.
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Yeah in your area it might be best to grow something else. You may try it grafted. Grafted the romance cherries lose all dwarfing. It may boost fruiting I don’t know? It may be worth doing a few grafts. Btw thanks for the wood. Sorry I didn’t reply. I’m going to the doctor every other day. Not growing peppers or tomatoes this year. I’m too weak to start them let alone move them in and outside. Right now I can only lift five pounds.
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with these cherries genetics suckering must be hard to control.
Prunus fruticosa is and absolute thicket forming shrub
Prunus Avium a 80 ft towering tree
Sour cherries arose from unreduced AABB
These dwarf cherries are AAAB with more contribution from fructicosa and less from Avium.
They appear to very drought tolerant and compete with other plants reasonably well. Ive been thinking about planting some in some native grass prairie land and then just ignoring them for a few years to see if they will form thickets. If they do, they could be quite beneficial for wildlife plantings I imagine. Birds love them, especially the smaller carmine jewel sized cherries..
Hey all, I’m new to growing bushes/trees, was just wondering if there was anything that I should know, about the Wowza cherry before it arrives from Gurneys.
Thanks!
I don’t have wowza, but if you get a ton of rain for a long period with a lot of damp/humidity. Keep an eye out for leaf spot. Juliet, carmine Jewel, cutie pie and sweet thing all got leaf spot for me and lost about 2/3 of their leaves before I got it under control. We had had 2 weeks of non-stop rain basically.
What can you do to help it if it does get leaf spot?
I sprayed mine with immunox fungicide following the leaf spot directions and it cleared up.
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Is it common practice to put a cage or fence of some sort around the bush after planting?
Depends on animal pressure. I would if you have bunnies. They can strip bark or bite plants off especially in the fall when they are hungry. They bit my sweet thing bush cherry to a nub. I was surprised it survived
I get chicken wire from tractor supply
Don’t be shocked at how much they charge for a small plant. I was :). Curious how big your plant will be if you can report back.