Variety fit — California
Can I grow North Star tart-cherry in California?
The verdict
Not recommended
- Your zone 9b is warmer than this variety's range (zones 4–8); it may not receive reliable winter chilling.
Based on California’s main growing area (95820): zone 9b, ~1,018 chill hours. Your exact site may differ — check your ZIP.
The numbers
| North Star chill requirement | 500 chill hours |
|---|---|
| North Star hardiness | USDA zones 4–8 |
| California average chill (95820) | 1,018 hours (808–1,470 across 10 winters) |
| California zone (95820) | USDA zone 9b |
Better tart cherry choices for California
These meet California’s chill hours and zone comfortably:
Keep checking
Or the same verdict for another region:
Questions
- Can I grow North Star tart-cherry in California?
- Probably not — Your zone 9b is warmer than this variety's range (zones 4–8); it may not receive reliable winter chilling.
Sources
- [1] Open-Meteo / Copernicus ERA5. Historical Weather API (hourly 2m temperature) — accessed July 2026
- [2] USDA / PRISM (Oregon State University). 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map — accessed July 2026
- [3] Dave Wilson Nursery. Cherries — DWN Variety Finder product list — accessed July 2026
- [4] University of Minnesota (UFOR Nursery & Lab). North Star Sour Cherry — Prunus 'North Star' — accessed July 2026