Originated in Ujfeherto, Hungary, and brought to the U.S. by horticulture professor Amy Lezzoni during her search for later blooming cherries. Fruit is sweeter, larger and firmer than Montmorency, making it one of the best sour cherries for fresh eating. Dark-skinned, red-fleshed morello-type cherry makes a dark red juice, excellent pie and incredible jam.
After WWII, the Hungarian government created large cooperative farms throughout the country, and scientists went around collecting sour-cherry scions for propagating regional varieties. The cherries from the village of Ujfeherto were considered the best. When Lezzoni eventually brought the cherry to the U.S., she knew it needed a name that was easier to pronounce than Ujfehertoi Furtos. In an interview with NPR, she explained why the cherry was named after a lake on the opposite side of the country: “Well, if you look at a Hungarian map, about the only thing an American can pronounce is Lake Balaton.”
Fruiting in Zone 4 regions of Maine. Self-pollinating but more productive when pollinated by other cherries. Z4/5. Maine Grown. (3–6' grafted bare-root trees)
Items from our perennial plants warehouse ordered
on or before March 7 will ship around March 26
through late April, starting with warmer areas and finishing in
colder areas. Orders placed after March 7 will
ship around late April through early-to-mid May, in the order in
which they were received.
Stone Fruits Widely cultivated around the world and
adaptable to most of New England. Not
highly particular as to soils. Clingstone means the fruit’s flesh
sticks to the pit (or stone) and a freestone pit drops cleanly away from
the
flesh. Like our apples and pears, all our stone fruits are grafted
trees.
Sweet Cherries Prunus
avium
Generally grow into large trees although the flowers are
tender and fruiting
can be iffy in central Maine and north. We are testing the hardiest
varieties and hope to keep adding more varieties.
Mature trees reach 25–30' tall.
Pie Cherries Prunus
cerasus
Also called Sour Cherries. Delicious enough to eat right
off the tree and
especially good in pies. They fruit in early to midsummer and
don’t
mind heavy soil. Pie cherries are generally divided into two groups:
Morello
types have dark red spherical fruit, dark juice and relatively small
compact
trees.
Montmorency (or Amarelle) types have light red slightly flattened fruit,
clear juice and medium-sized somewhat open trees.
Pie cherries are significantly hardier than sweet cherries but flower
buds
may be damaged in colder winters. We often encounter excellent crops in
central Maine.
Mature trees reach 10–15' tall.
Other “Cherries” For some interesting fruits
sometimes called “cherries,” see
Cornelian Cherries
and
Nanking Cherries.
Sometimes we also stock Bush Cherries and Dwarf Sour
Cherries, so check back in future years!
Growing Sweet and Pie Cherries
Soil: Prefers well-drained fertile soil; pie
cherries
are more forgiving and adaptable than sweet cherries.
Sun: Full.
Pollination:
Most sweet cherries need a second
variety for pollination, so plant two or more
for best
results.
