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Cherry (Stella) was the first commercially successful self-fertile sweet cherry variety, released from the Summerland Research Station in British Columbia in 1968, and for decades it remained the go-to choice for home gardeners who lacked space for a second pollinator tree. Stella produces large, dark mahogany-red fruits (sometimes approaching black at full ripeness) with firm, sweet flesh that balances sugar with just enough acid to keep the flavor complex. Self-fertility means pollen from Stella's own flowers successfully fertilizes its own blossoms — a significant advantage since most other sweet cherries require cross-pollination from a compatible partner. The trees are moderately vigorous, reaching 15–20 feet at maturity without size-controlling rootstocks, and they begin bearing fruit in their third or fourth year.
Plant Stella in full sun with well-drained soil and excellent air circulation around the canopy — cherries are highly susceptible to brown rot and bacterial canker in humid, stagnant air conditions. Space trees 15–20 feet apart on standard rootstock, or 8–10 feet on size-controlling Gisela 5 or Gisela 6 rootstocks. Although Stella is self-fertile, planting a second cherry variety nearby (Bing, Lapins, or Van) will increase fruit set and size through cross-pollination. Train to a modified central leader or open-center form. The most critical annual task is netting — birds can strip a cherry tree bare within hours of the fruit beginning to color. Install bird netting tented over the tree (not draped directly on branches where birds can peck through) as soon as fruits start to blush. Mulch 3–4 inches deep under the canopy to retain moisture and suppress weeds, keeping mulch away from the trunk. Prune in late summer (not winter) to minimize the entry of bacterial diseases through pruning wounds. Stella requires 700–800 winter chill hours, making it unsuitable for zones warmer than 8a without supplemental cooling.
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