Stella Sweet Cherry Tree

Stella Sweet Cherry made history when it was introduced in 1968 — developed at the Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre in Summerland, British Columbia, it was one of the first self-pollinating sweet cherry varieties available to home orchardists, opening high-quality fresh sweet cherry growing to anyone with room for a single tree. Its self-pollinating trait has since been deliberately bred into newer varieties including Benton®, extending Stella’s influence far beyond its own considerable performance. Large, plump, bold-red, heart-shaped fruit with firm, sweet flesh ripens in June, resistant to cracking and moderately disease-resistant. Self-pollinating in Zones 5–8.

One of the First Self-Pollinating Sweet Cherries — A Historic Introduction

Before Stella, growing sweet cherries for most home orchardists meant maintaining two or more compatible varieties to ensure pollination — a space and complexity requirement that put quality sweet cherry growing out of reach for smaller gardens. Stella’s self-pollinating trait changed that equation when it arrived in 1968, and the variety’s quality was strong enough that it earned a devoted following that has persisted for over 55 years. Its influence extends even further through the newer self-pollinating varieties that have used it as a parent to pass on that self-fertility.

Large, Bold-Red, Heart-Shaped — Sweet and Crack-Resistant

Stella’s bold-red, heart-shaped cherries are visually distinctive and abundantly productive. The firm, sweet flesh delivers the classic sweet cherry experience for fresh eating — outstanding straight off the tree in June — and performs equally well for canning, freezing, and drying where the firm texture holds up through every process. The crack resistance provides meaningful practical protection through variable pre-harvest weather, delivering more consistently intact, high-quality fruit.

Summerland, British Columbia, 1968 — 55+ Years of Proven Performance

The Summerland Research Centre produced some of the finest cherry varieties in North American history — Van, Starkrimson®, and Stella among them — through breeding specifically oriented toward cold-climate performance, self-fertility, and fruit quality. Stella’s 55+ years in home orchards reflects that quality foundation.

Why Growers Choose Stella Sweet Cherry

• One of the first self-pollinating sweet cherries — opened quality cherry growing to single-tree gardens
• Parent of Benton® and other important varieties — its self-pollinating legacy continues
• Summerland, British Columbia, 1968 — 55+ years of proven home orchard performance
• Large bold-red heart-shaped fruit — visually distinctive and abundantly productive
• Crack resistant, moderately disease-resistant — reliable June harvests
• Outstanding for fresh eating, canning, freezing, and drying — fully versatile