Prunus ‘Burlat’ | Cherry Tree

5ft ‘Burlat’ Cherry Tree | Colt Semi Vigorous Rootstock | 9L Pot

‘Burlat’ produces fruit very early, from the middle of May onwards. The cherries are large, dark red and very juicy, they are also sweet and very tasty. A vigorous grower, initially with an upright habit which spreads as it matures. ‘Burlat’ will produce reliable, heavy crops when partnered with a self-fertile vareity.

Fruit trees are generally budded or grafted onto a rootstock by the nursery, which means the roots of the tree are a different plant to that of the trunk, branches and fruit. Rootstocks, among other things, determine the eventual size of your tree with dwarfing rootstocks producing smaller trees than one grown on its own roots. Some rootstocks have a greater dwarfing effect than others, with the Gisela 5 producing the smallest tree going.

While having a smaller tree may sound like a bad thing, it is actually a huge benefit. Dwarfing trees produce earlier in their lives and put more energy into fruiting at the expense of vegetative growth. This allows one to maximise space. A downside is that some dwarfing rootstocks such as Gisela 5 will need permanent staking to ensure they aren’t uprooted by strong winds.