low chill cherries

I have heard that there are new very low chill cherries on the market. Supposedly they can fruit in Texas. Has anyone heard of these? They would probably need 300-400 chill hours.

lee

Lee, we spoke of low chill sweet cherries in your other thread. Here's a link to Texas Gardener. Last September, the magazine had an extensive article on new low chill cherries. Past issues can be purchased individually.
http://www.texasgardener.com/pastissues/sepoct07/index.html
http://www.texasgardener.com/
I wish they would archive their past articles online.

Jujubeetexas, The two you are inquiring about are Minni Royal and Royal Lee. Both are sweet cherries and only require 300 chill hours. Dave Wilson Nurseries who supplies them to retail nurseries says maybe even less hours. You can read about them on the Dave Wilson website.

Thanks you two.

Dimcgrw, the magazine, the Dave Wilson website and RainTree Nursery, from whom I purchased my Minnie Royal and Royal Lee, all list the chill hour requirement as 400 - 500 chill hours.

bettydee, You are right but it has been my experience that these official estimates are usually very conservative. And I won't mention names but a reliable source in the Dave Wilson operation substantiated this for me. I wouldn't hesitate to plant the two sweet cherry varities in question with 300-400 hrs of reliable chill.

I succesfully grow both apples and pears here in the desert where my chill factor is way less than the numbers listed for the varities. Both Minne Royal and Royal Lee are going into my small orchard this next bare root season.

Dimcgrw
You peaked my attention with the 300-400 chill hours because that is just about what I get each year.
Do you have any links to information on these cherries? I have not found much on the web but surprisingly they are recommended for San Antonio and do clearly state that they are 500 chill hours.
Here’s the link that I found.
http://hometown.aol.com/Fanicks/Catalog-+Brochures/Fruit+tree+Catalog/Fruit+tree+2008.pdf

oldude, no links or websites to say 300-400 hrs. But, if you want to try for sweet cherries in a traditionally inhospitable area I believe these two are the only possibilities. I say two because you will need both. I am going to go for it and I believe the odds favor my getting fruit. Here is a picture of a four in one asian pear that I bought as requireing 450-600 Hrs. Some years I don't think I get 300 Hrs. Oops, DG won't allow me to add a picture on "edit"

This message was edited Aug 13, 2008 9:54 AM

Oldude, here is that photo.

Oldude, the only information on those two and a few more low chill cherries that are apparently impossible to get is found in that September 2007 Texas Gardener magazine. I included the links in my post above.

I am ordering a Minnie and Lee for early spring. Might as well bite the bullet.

jujubeetexas, It's a little iffy, but as a backyard grower if you don't get fruit every year it's not a disaster. Just makes the good years more enjoyable.