Meader P. Tomentosa is a hardy dwarf cherry relative that delivers abundant tart fruit from trees small enough to fit almost anywhere. Native to central Asia and beloved in Russian gardens for decades, this cultivar thrives in zones 3 through 8 and survives temperatures as low as negative 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The trees grow 10 to 12 feet tall with a wide, bushy habit, producing half-inch red fruits in early summer that taste like bright, tangy cherries. You can harvest them fresh, bake them into pies, or cook them into jewel-toned jelly.
Full Sun
—
3-8
120in H x ?in W
—
Moderate
Hover over chart points for details
Hardy to negative 40 degrees Fahrenheit, this cherry relative laughs at cold climates while delivering early summer harvests from naturally dwarf trees. The tart, cherry-like fruit arrives reliably and abundantly on a plant that tolerates drought once established and resists disease. Plant several trees 4 to 5 feet apart to create an edible hedge, or let a single specimen grow into its wide, graceful form.
The tart cherry-like fruit is versatile in the kitchen. Eat the half-inch fruits fresh from the tree as a sharp, refreshing snack, or cook them into pies and jams where their natural acidity shines. The fruit also makes excellent jelly, and the flavor deepens beautifully when preserved.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Pick the ripe fruit in early summer when the half-inch cherries have turned fully red and yield slightly to gentle pressure. The fruit can be eaten fresh directly from the tree or harvested for cooking into pies and jelly.
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.
“Meader P. Tomentosa traces its roots to central Asia, where this species has grown wild for centuries. The variety earned its place in Western gardens through Russian horticulture, where it became a widely cultivated fruiting plant valued for its extreme cold tolerance and reliable production. This cultivar represents generations of selection in harsh climates, refined by gardeners who needed fruit trees that could survive where most stone fruits fail.”