Each year the cherry trees herald the arrival of spring by producing abundant pale pink flowers. In early summer, these blossoms turned into pendulous cherries, a favorite with people and wildlife and valued because they can be eaten fresh and for their uses in preserves and baked goods. There is a myriad of cherry tree species, which means that the trees grow and mature differently. Let’s discover how long does cherry tree take to grow.
How long does cherry tree take to grow?
Tree descriptions provided by nurseries and office extensions generally group them into slow, medium, and fast-growing trees. The former adds only 1 foot (30 cm) or less of new growth per year. Medium growing ones put 1 to 2 feet (30 to 60 cm) of vertical growth per year. And finally, the fast growing ones can grow over 2 feet (60 cm) in just one year. Cherry tree growth rates, their final height, and the age at which they begin to bear fruit vary between different species and varieties.
Sweet and tart cherries
Sweet cherry (Prunus avium) and sour cherry (P. cerasus) are commonly planted for their fruits. Both grow rapidly, producing up to 30 inches (75 cm) of growth per year until they begin to bear fruit, at which point growth drops to 1 foot (30 cm) per year. Sweet cherry tends to be larger, reaching a height of 30 to 40 feet (9 to 12 m), while acid can reach 15 to 20 feet (4.5 to 6 m). Traditionally, cherry trees begin to produce considerable amounts of fruit when they are between 5 to 8 years old, which means that it takes a sweet cherry about 25 years to reach maturity and acidic 15. There are species of cherry trees that accelerate fruit production to start giving them at an early age.
Ornamental cherry trees
Ornamental cherry trees primarily include Asian varieties such as Japanese (P. serrulata), higan (P. subhirtella), and Yoshino (P. x yedoensis). These trees tend to grow quickly, are small, and only live for 15 to 20 years. The Japanese and the Yoshino reach their mature height when they reach 15, but die very soon after. They grow between 15 to 20 feet (4.5 to 6 m). The higan also grows quickly and although it is a little longer than the Japanese or the Yoshino, it has a short life. Its height, when mature, is between 20 to 40 feet (6 to 12 m).
Wild cherry trees
Native cherry trees also grow wild in all North American forests. Like their cultivated cousins, they grow relatively fast. The black cherry (P. serotina) is the one that grows the most and also lives longer than the varieties that are cultivated. It grows to between 60 to 90 feet (18 to 27 m) and can live up to 100 years.
