Does anyone have any thoughts on the latest Dwarf Cherry available on Gurneys. Just got my new catalog today and see this new variety out of the University of Saskatchewan program. Wondering if Wowza! is the Gurneys name for a variety we already know? It’s supposed to be twice the size of carmine jewel and bake without need of additional coloring. Pits are not conducive to commercial growing due to narrow shape. Good flesh to pit ratio though. Thinking about adding to my Romeo and Juliet.
That sounds like Valentine as I found this on HobeyberryUSAs site:
Valentine pits are too long for pitting machines
Also the compactness of the tree and color seem to match as well.
Valentine – Zones 2-8. Valentine produces a scarlet red tart cherry. The red colour holds in pies and no dye is necessary. It is also great in juice. It is very productive.
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It could be Valentine but I don’t know why they would change the name. The name ‘Valentine’ sounds like it would be right up their ally. I’m more leaning to it being one of the as of yet unnamed varieties produced by the same breeding program that were not given names in the romance series. Gurney’s parent company selected some unnamed varieties suitable for home growers and have paid for the disease free certification process. I know that they jack up their prices so that their 50% off coupons make it look like you are really saving money but that starting price is appalling.
Representatives from the American company “Gardens Alive” have visited our breeding program several times over the last 6 year and they have selected several cherries that they believe home gardeners would like to try in the US. Furthermore, they are paying for the virus certification of these selections as well as some of the Romance cherries. They have an exclusive contract for the USA for the varieties which they are putting through the virus-certification process. Worthwhile mentioning is that ‘Gardens Alive’ has provided us with a research grant to allow further research on cherries and other fruits. They are propagating Carmine Jewel and other cherries (some unnamed ones too!) as they become virus-free certified.
Source
http://www.fruit.usask.ca/articles/Availability%20of%20SK%20cherries%20in%20US2010.pdf
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Well that’s interesting. Didn’t realize the process to import varieties from Canada into the US. Will be interesting to see how it compares to Valentine or other varieties to see if it’s the same or different at all.
Which one is the sweetest and tasty?
Ive only gotten fruit from CJ so far, this is someone elses picture… Found on google search for images.
Some one here posted that originally I think, it sure looks familiar…
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With so many people wanting to order the wowza cherry I wanted to mention that it’s on sale currently for $39.99. The shipping and taxes will still have the bill up there at $55. Those are very expensive cherry bushes at those prices. It’s still half the price they were charging. I’m not interested in this Bush at those prices.
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Strange. It is still showing $79.99 for me. Tried from my phone and my iPad.
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Do you get their emails? It’s posted as a 50% off flash sale. The extension expires today. Try this link https://m.gurneys.com/product/wowza_dwarf_cherry
0551067 is the code
yeah. still too expensive for my taste. i just ordered a lutowka cherry from honeyberryUSA . its a polish cherry that gets 5-7g. bush is 7-10ft. not as big a cherry or as small a bush as wowza but for $18 its worth the compromise! its supposedly the most widely planted sour cherry in europe. got 2 juliet, 1 carmine jewel, 2 nankings and 1 montmorency also. hopefully in a few years i get some cherries.
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@moose71
Please let us know how lutowka cherry works out. I’m very interested in that variety.
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ill do a review of each of my cherries as they start to produce. 
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I had a gift card I get for participating in healthy activities through our insurance so I pulled the trigger and ordered my wowza tonight and a couple of black berries to try out.
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Hopefully it grows fast so we can all borrow some wood in a few years! haha
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How large are the fruit trees that Gurneys send out? (Am thinking of Wowza if price viable …)
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I don’t know if they listed a size on their catalog, I got a nice Juliet from Henry fields year before last, if this wowza is two feet with good roots I will be pleased
Web site says it is a potted plant, I’m guessing small tissue culture plants ,
I finally broke down and ordered a Wowza today. That gives me about 20 Romance Series cherry bushes, the oldest being about ten years old. So far I have actually harvested about four cherries total from them. Maybe this will be the year for them! I also have a Meteor, Evans, two Lapins, and a Kristin. The only ones that have ever gotten any cherries ripe were the Lapins, and that was only one year. After the -31F a couple days ago I am not holding my breath on them! I have plenty of space, so just keep waiting and hoping.
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