Black Tartarian Sweet Cherry Tree

Black Tartarian is one of the oldest and most beloved sweet cherry varieties in America. Originating from the Circassia region of what is now Russia and introduced to the U.S. in the late 1700s, it has been grown and celebrated by home orchardists for over two centuries. Early-blooming and early-bearing, it produces large, stunning cherry-red to purplish-black fruit with sweet, rich flavor that’s irresistible straight off the tree. If Bing is America’s most famous sweet cherry, Black Tartarian is its distinguished ancestor.

One of the Earliest Sweet Cherries to Ripen

Black Tartarian’s early bloom time is one of its most valuable qualities — it’s among the first sweet cherries to flower each spring and one of the first to ripen in June, giving you fresh homegrown cherries ahead of most other varieties. That early timing also makes it an exceptionally effective pollinator for Bing, Emperor Francis, and many other sweet cherry varieties, extending its orchard value well beyond its own harvest.

Rich, Sweet Flavor and Beautiful Fruit

The fruit is medium-to-large with deep cherry-red to nearly black skin and firm, crisp flesh packed with sweet, rich cherry flavor. Black Tartarian cherries are outstanding fresh off the tree — intensely flavorful and deeply satisfying in the way only a tree-ripened cherry can be. They’re equally excellent for juice, preserves, and baking, with a flavor depth that grocery store cherries rarely achieve.

A Heritage Variety With Over 200 Years of Proven Performance

Few fruit trees carry the kind of history Black Tartarian does. Two centuries of continuous cultivation across American home orchards is a testament to its consistent quality, reliable productivity, and the kind of flavor that growers keep coming back to season after season. It remains one of the most trusted sweet cherry varieties in the home orchard — and one of the most robustly productive.

Why Growers Choose Black Tartarian

• One of America’s oldest sweet cherry varieties — introduced in the late 1700s, beloved ever since
• Early-ripening — one of the first sweet cherries ready each June
• Rich, sweet, deeply flavored fruit — cherry-red to nearly black, firm and crisp
• Ideal pollinator for other sweet cherries — excellent partner for Bing, Emperor Francis, and more
• Robust and productive — prolific bloomer with reliable, abundant crops
• Organic options available — for growers who want a certified organic tree