Sunburst Cherry Trees

• Variety: Sunburst, a self-fertile sweet Cherry
• Latin name: Prunus avium 'Sunburst'
• Fruit: Large, sweet and very dark red, almost black when ripe
• Sold as: Bareroot maiden, bush and half-standard
• Rootstock: Colt
• Mature size: Kept at 3 to 4m. 4 to 5m if left unpruned
• Pollination: Group D. Self-fertile: one tree crops alone
• Picking: Late July
• Position: Full sun, with shelter
• Soil: Rich and well-drained
• Pruning: In summer only
• Wildlife: RHS Plants for Pollinators
• Hardiness: H6, hardy through the British winter
• Delivered: Bareroot, November to April. Collection from Castle Cary also available

Sunburst is a self-fertile sweet Cherry with large, very dark red fruit in late July, white spring blossom and good autumn colour. One tree crops on its own, and on Colt rootstock you can keep it at 3 to 4 metres.

Sunburst Cherry Trees

'Sunburst' is an excellent late cropping tree. The unripe fruit have an ornamental rosy colour that turns almost black when ripe. They're really juicy, with a hint of raspberry: delicious.

Browse our range of cherry trees, or all our fruit trees.

Delivery season: Bareroot plants are delivered from late autumn to spring, November to April.

Pollination Partners for Sunburst Cherries:
Sunburst is self-fertile, so make fruit all by itself.
It flowers in group D: see the cherry tree pollinating table.

Rootstocks:
Our Sunburst cherry trees are all grown on "Colt" rootstocks.
Height: kept at 3 to 4 metres with pruning, 4 to 5 metres if left.

Growing Sunburst Cherry Trees:
Rich soil is important: dig in plenty of good manure and compost before planting.
Soil drainage must be good.
The more sun your trees get the better your crops will be.
Cherry trees are targets for birds, so netting them is a good idea.
Only prune cherries in summer.

Planting Companions

Sunburst needs no partner, so you can choose its company for the kitchen. Stella is another self-fertile sweet Cherry, and Morello is the sour Cherry for cooking, which crops on a north-facing wall while Sunburst takes your sunniest spot. See all our Cherry trees. Dust the roots with Rootgrow as you plant.

Why Buy Your Cherry Tree from Ashridge?

Ashridge has sold trees since 1949 and is a Which? Best Plant Supplier 2025. Your Sunburst Cherry is grafted onto Colt rootstock, and maidens are pre-pruned before despatch for the form you choose. Bareroot trees are lifted to order while dormant and guaranteed for 12 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Sunburst need a pollination partner?

No. It is self-fertile, so one tree crops on its own. It flowers in group D.

How big does the tree grow?

On Colt rootstock, you can keep it at 3 to 4 metres with pruning. Left alone, it reaches 4 to 5 metres. Allow about 6 metres between trees.

When do you prune a Cherry?

In summer only, never in winter. Do the routine pruning of an established tree when you pick the fruit.

Can you fan-train Sunburst on a wall?

Yes. Cherries are best suited to fan-training, because a fan is easy to net against birds and to protect from frost. Start with a maiden.

How do you keep the birds off?

Net the tree as the fruit colours. A bush or a fan that you keep at 3 to 4 metres is far easier to net than a tall tree.

Can you grow Sunburst in a pot?

For a few years, with work, in a large container. Expect to water it often. It is happier in the ground.

When are the trees delivered?

Bareroot only, from November to April, while the trees are dormant. You can order at any time of year and your tree is lifted and sent once the season opens.