With the word “sweet” in the very name Sweetheart cherries, it’s easy to guess what they must taste like. This fruit is particularly sweet and juicy when ripe. Many individuals are attracted to the meatiness of the Sweetheart cherry and the fact that its flesh tends to look shiny. It is a brighter red color but darker than other types of cherries, like Rainer cherries. Its flesh is firm, leading to less cracking due to hard rain.
Even better is that the Sweetheart cherry tree is self-pollinating. If you plant one in your yard, you don’t have to worry about planting another to ensure pollination. This is great because most sweet cherry trees require cross-pollination, which can be a hassle if you’re a homeowner who loves cherries but has limited space. Sweetheart cherry trees do the best in temperate climates.
One great thing about the Sweetheart cherry, at least when compared to other types of cherries, is that although it falls within the sweet cherry category, it is not exceptionally high in sugar. For example, Spanish cherry cherries are sweet but contain a lot of sugar. Therefore, sweetheart cherries are a good alternative. The fruit ripens much later than other types of cherries, meaning you can find Sweetheart cherries at the end of summer when all other fresh cherries have gone bad.
This low sugar content is great because you can reap all the health benefits of cherries, like vitamin C, vitamin A, antioxidants, and fiber, without consuming an unsafe amount of sugar. If you want to plant a Sweetheart cherry tree, keep in mind that these trees can grow up to 25 feet tall. In other words, make sure you’ve got the room for it!
