Prunus avium 'Stella' (Semi Dwarf Cherry)

Stella is the original self-fertile sweet cherry, bred at Summerland Research Station in BC in 1968, dark red heart-shaped fruit with rich Lambert-style flavor. Prunus avium is the cultivated sweet cherry, originating in Europe, western Asia, North Africa and grown for centuries for its fruit. It is not native to North America.

Bloom and harvest in the PNW. Bloom is mid to late-mid season, with fruit ripening late June to early July in Oregon and Washington orchards. Site in full sun with good air drainage to reduce disease pressure.

Pollination. Stella is self-fertile: a single tree will set fruit. Compatible partners (self-fertile (also pollinates many other sweet cherries; not a reliable pollenizer for Bing)) increase yields.

PNW disease and care. Stella was the first commercially viable self-fertile sweet cherry and remains the easiest single-tree sweet cherry for PNW backyards. The species-level disease pressures to plan for are brown rot (Monilinia laxa), bacterial canker, cherry leaf spot, and powdery mildew. Cherry fruit fly and spotted wing drosophila are the major insect pressures. Net trees against birds at color change.

Native fruiting alternatives: If you also want to support PNW birds and pollinators with regionally native fruit, consider Amelanchier alnifolia (Saskatoon serviceberry), Vaccinium ovatum (evergreen huckleberry), Malus fusca (Pacific crabapple), or Prunus virginiana (chokecherry). These provide bird food, pollinator support, and Indigenous food heritage in your landscape alongside your orchard fruit.