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Hello been to wilkos today could not believe the price of the apple trees and cherry trees 5 pound each i have bought a cherry called hedelfinger as any body got one can you tell me if it a eating one ? please, hope its not ornemental? there was one other cherry which was a morrel i no thats desert hope fully some one can tell me this is a eating one ?
there are granny smiths and golden delicoues also conferance pear trees self fertile bargain 5 quid

Yes NSBL Hedelfinger cherry is a sweet cherry but it needs a pollinator. Morello cherry is for cooking and makes nice jam. So you will need to buy another cherry tree as a pollinator.

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Thanks Les i am planting it on my allotment next to a victoria plum tree also there also other apple plum trees about of neighbouring plots does the pollinater have to be another cherry ?

Thanks

Some good news I found for you..

' HEDELFINGER Continues to perform well in New York, Canada, and Europe. It has been around for more than 200 years and will be for a long time to come. It is a medium-large, firm-fleshed, high quality dark cherry that resists cracking. Productive. It has proven to be very winter hardy here in Western New York.'

So looks like you got a real bargain! Not sure how high it grows so might be worth checking up before planting as some varieties grow quite tall.

Yes it does need to be another cherry and from what I have read you will need a specific variety of cherry to be the pollinator. I shall read more and get back to you.

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Hi Nicos good news mate thanks but does it have to be another cherry to pollinate cos if its i will have to go buy the last morello at wilkos for a fiver .

Cheers Fellas

looks like its not giong be a bargain after all hey?

maybe you can pick up more bargains each time you go back.....!

I understand that you should pollinate with another sweet cherry. Maybe you could just phone up a fruit tree supplier and ask for their advice??

I'm not a cherry tree expert but my book says regarding pollinator partners the situation with cherries is complex. Take care to pick a suitable partner (sounds like a dating agency). It will have to flower at approximately the same time and it will also have to be compatable. Not all varieties with the same time of flowering are compatable so with cherries a specific variety is named. I shall keep looking to find the right variety.

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NSBL. I have finally got you a list of varieties from America. I shall post them tomorrow.

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Well done Lesley... I have a self-pollinating cherry but was interested in this as there seemed very little info on the internet. All I came up with was variety NY 980 which doesn't mean anything to me!!!

I don't know if I have come up with any useful info. After checking the varieties on the web they all seem to be American so I don't suppose they will be easy to get hold of here. Hedelfinger is grown in America and they reckon any sweet cherry as long as it's not in the same group as Hedelfinger will be okay as a pollinator. But my fruit book reckons that you need a specific variety. The quest continues.

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Here I think you will find all the information you need.
http://www.keepers-nursery.co.uk/sea...px?selection=9
Keepers Nursery is a good source for fruit tree information.
I have found the information for Morello. It is self-fertile and will produce a crop without a pollinator. Cropping may be improved by a pollinator. However HEDELFINGER is not listed. If you could find out if it was an early mid or late season cherry then you could look up other type that share the same period, and go from there.
Sorry I could not be more help.
Jax

Oh dear NSBL!! What did you do in the end then?? At least if it's been popular for over 200 years it must be easy to grow and fruit!

Hello people thanks for helping between you lot and another forum allotments 4 all i have got some answers the label on the tree is in three differant lanuages it was supplied from holland plant in spring or autum harvest in may to july A bloke in belgium says he as one and planted it on its own self fertile most people and books says sweet cheeries need a pollinater so might have to buy another sweet one any way jaxom going give your link a go mate thanks people

Ps mine does not say weather its fertile all double dutch this one

Jaxom the Morello cherry isn't a sweet one so is not compatible. What we need to find out is when the Hedelfinger is in flower because we need a variety that flowers at the same time.

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Hi its him again just had mail from belgium chap says its self fertile like is but my only query is that is is a hedelfinger riesenkirche ?mines just says hedelfinger wot do you people think? take is word and go fill my boots ? If nothing fruits in a few years thats my answer again?

yes... plant it, enjoy the blossom and see if it fruits...if it doesn't, then you know what to ask for for Xmas!!!(it'll probably end up being a self-fertiliser after all that! and then the birds will eat the fruit!)

I have just Googled Hedelfinger Riesenkirche and only 3 items came up. NSBL plant it and keep your fingers crossed. I have read so much about cherries in the last couple of days I think I will have to buy a cherry tree myself. If I remember right if it's not self fertile you will still get a bit of fruit but when you cut it open there will not be any stone. So in a couple of years you will know.

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I know this has also been discussed on other forums, but I'm sure that Hedelfinger isn't self-fertile. It's undoubtedly an old-fashioned variety, and self-fertile cherries are quite recent. All that I can find is that it's a "Lambert type" cherry, but I'm not sure which of the four pollination groups that puts it into.

My suggestion is to buy one of the popular self-fertile varieties like Stella, which will also act as a pollinator for the Hedelfinger.

Melbourne you will be right. With the Hedelfinger variety being over 200 years old it will not be self fertile.

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Never thought it would cause so much bother i am of to allotment committe meeting next week see if any body there Knows?

Watch this space or i watch it we will get the answer sooner or later thanks again

I never posted to this site, but I saw your note. I have found this information valuable. This information comes from Sweet Cherry Pollination Considerations for 2001 published by Dept of Horticultural Sciences at Cornell University in NY, USA.

Hedelfingen is a mid-to-late blooming, sweet cherry. It is compatible with Van, Regina, Lambert, Windsor, Vogue, Sam. You cannot use another Hedelfingen. It is self-incompatible.

The chart that I have also lists mid-season bloomers as possibly compatible. These are as follows: Napoleon, Valera, Kristin, Ulster, Bing, Emperor Francis, Hartland, and Schmidt.

Also, be sure if you plant a second tree that you allow sufficient space for growth. The larger trees should be about 20 ft apart. Check the spread as specified for the type you buy.

Good luck.

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