English Morello cherry ripening date?

General Fruit Growing
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I’m trying to decide whether or not to order an English Morello tart charry. I really want a traditional Morello-type pie cherry, but I’m concerned about a late ripening date and SWD. I have Montmorency, Surefire, and Carmine Jewel tart cherries that don’t seem to be bothered by SWD but they all ripen fairly early. Raintree says English Morello ripens in August, at the end of the cherry season. Does anyone have experience with an English Morello ripening date in relation to Montmorency?

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My understanding is something like 6 weeks after Montmorency…
I’ve always wanted English Morello…but never could find it when I was ordering things. Right now I don’t really have room for it. I have sour cherries passed from grandparents in the 1950’s…very sour…not sure of ID on them, but they sometimes ripen in late May in z. 6b. With late strawberries such as Tennessee Beauty or Sparkle.

Montmorency…the juice is pale. But, as I recall, they tasted pretty good right from the tree.
Haven’t eaten them fresh in many years.

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Mid to late July in the PNW

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My experience is English Morello ripens about the same time as Montmorency in central Illinois. This chart from Grandpa’s orchard also lists it ripening about the same time for their Michigan location.

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I bought English Morello from Raintree and it was dead last of all cherries to ripen. In my increasingly hot & dry conditions (new summer records being set annually, it seems) I found it hit hard by fruit fly maggots.

The cherries were otherwise exquisite; the tree otherwise easy to husband, unphased by encroaching turf which I had neglected to keep outside the dripline.
In England there is an early ripening Morello, which I wish could be found here in the States.

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Take a look at North Star. Ripens mid/late June.

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I replaced Raintree’s version of English Morello with North Star, which proved to ripen just before Montmorency, with similar flavor & color to one of its parents, Morello. Again, I was not diligent in keeping the turf out of the dripline & lost it swiftly to canker. The infection appeared at the graft line - no saving it, that I knew of.

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You mention fruit fly maggots. I’m assuming they were SWD. They are the very reason I’m leery of planting a late ripening cherry. SWD hits berries starting around mid-July here and I assume they would hit cherries also. I’m happy with Carmine Jewel as a substitute, but I’ve also never tried English Morello to compare taste. Maybe I don’t know what I’m missing.

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The flavors are much more complex than Montmorency: brighter and deeper. I may try North Star again if a good spot comes my way. It is much like Morello in that respect. North Star’s one drawback is that I must care for it properly to offset its vulnerability to canker: rich soil, no weeds or turf to compete, plenty of mulch beyond the dripline (maybe another foot beyond).

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