Cultivar 170: Montmorency

Montmorency is a tart cherry. It has been grown for a long time and remains the main sour cherry in North American production. A University of Minnesota source calls it the most commonly grown tart cherry cultivar in North America and says it made up 96% of trees in production. Prairie and Dakota sources place it among the classic red pie cherries, not among the hardiest cherries for the northern plains. [S4] [S1] [S2]

The prairie record describes it as an old French variety that dates back several hundred years. At Morden in southern Manitoba, it grew as a large, vigorous tree with an upright, spreading form. It could produce well in some seasons but was not reliable. The South Dakota material is more cautious. It lists Montmorency for Zones I and II as a winter tender red pie cherry, and a 1979 nursery circular says it was not dependably hardy even in the most favored parts of the state. [S5] [S2] [S3]

A prairie bulletin describes the fruit as a fairly large sour cherry, about 1 inch across, round oblate, and red to dark red. The flesh is pale yellow with a reddish tinge. It is tender and melting, with a sprightly tart flavor. The juice is abundant and light pink. Quality is rated very good. The season is late July into early August, which fits its long standing reputation as a standard pie cherry. [S5]

The tree is vigorous, but its adaptation seems limited in the colder prairie interior. South Dakota recommendations treat it as a marginal choice, and the Morden notes say cropping was inconsistent. Even so, later production data cited in the Minnesota thesis give average yields of 36 to 45 kg from a 10 to 20 year old Montmorency tree. That helps explain why it remained an important commercial tart cherry where conditions suited it. The sources here do not give a breeder or direct parentage. [S2] [S3] [S5] [S4]

Summary source basis

• S1: South Dakota Fruit Garden (visual sample pages 9-11)
• S2: South Dakota Fruit Garden
• S3: Nursery Plants Available from South Dakota Nurseries
• S4: Minnesota #1695
• S5: TreeFruitsGrownInPrairieOrchards WRLeslie 1946 HQ

This summary currently draws chiefly from TreeFruitsGrownInPrairieOrchards WRLeslie 1946 HQ, with 6 additional supporting sources linked below.

Featured source descriptions

“It is identified as the most commonly cultivated tart cherry cultivar in North America.”
— ^[1]

“Available from nursery listings 7, 20, 21, and 27.”
— ^[7]

“the winter tender red cherries”
— ^[3]

“Marked XX: not dependably hardy even in most-favored areas of South Dakota.”
— ^[7]

Direct parent cultivars

• No direct linked parent cultivars promoted yet.

Parentage claim text

• No direct breeding_cross claim text yet.

Derived or downstream cultivar links

• No derived or downstream lineage links yet.

Source-story quotations

• On average, a 10 to 20 year old tart cherry tree ('Montmorency') produces 36 kg to 45 kg (Me-Nsope, 2009). Even with relatively low germination, high fruit yields could result in large numbers of propagule units and thus, could potentially result in a moderate number of seedlings.Minnesota #1695, p61
• On average, a 10 to 20 year old tart cherry tree ('Montmorency') produces 36 kg to 45 kg (Me-Nsope, 2009). Even with relatively low germination, high fruit yields could result in large numbers of propagule units and thus, could potentially result in a moderate number of seedlings.Minnesota #1695, p61
• On average, a 10 to 20 year old tart cherry tree ('Montmorency') produces 36 kg to 45 kg (Me-Nsope, 2009). Even with relatively low germination, high fruit yields could result in large numbers of propagule units and thus, could potentially result in a moderate number of seedlings.Minnesota #1695, p61
• MONTMORENCY—The large, late, dark red cherry. This cherry has become very popular on account of size. It is very meaty—ripens about 10 days later than the Richmond.Planting time, 1950 / Alpha Nursery, p7

Taxonomy context: No family-tree context surfaced yet.

Related cultivars mentioned in source context