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Sweet Cherry variety

Bing

The short answer

Bing requires 700–900 chill hours[1] and grows in USDA zones 5–8[2]. It needs a pollination partner[3].

Growing facts

Bing growing facts
Chill requirement700–900 chill hours[1] (nursery figure)
HardinessUSDA zones 5–8[2]
PollinationNeeds a pollination partner, bloom group 3[3]
Harvest windowJune–July[2]
Years to bearing5–7 years (typical for sweet cherries)[4]
AppearanceExceptionally large; dark burgundy skin, nearly black when fully ripe[2]
USDA pomological watercolor of Bing sweet cherry
Prunus avium: BingUSDA pomological watercolor, Royal Charles Steadman, 1929 · USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection

Plate provenance[5]

Pollination partners

Bing blooms in group 3. The closest bloom-time matches make the most reliable partners:

Show 2 more compatible varieties

Notes

  • Not self-fruitful; also cross-unfruitful with Lambert and Royal Ann/Napoleon, so those cannot pollinate each other or Bing.[3]
  • Blooms mid to late-mid season; compatible pollenizers include Van, Black Tartarian, Lapins and Stella (but not Lambert, Royal Ann/Napoleon or Rainier).[2]
  • Susceptible to fruit cracking during rain at harvest; grows best in dry climates.[1]
  • Very susceptible to bacterial canker (Pseudomonas syringae).[6]

A year with your Bing

When the work happens for a sweet cherry in USDA zone 7, anchored to typical frost dates.

Months for pruning, thinning, spray-timing windows, and harvest for Sweet Cherry in zone 7
TaskJFMAMJJASOND
Prune——————————
Spray timing——————
Harvest—————————
Care——————————

See the full month-by-month sweet cherry calendar for zone 7 →

Can I grow Bing where I live?

Check the verdict for a few regions, or your exact ZIP:

Growing a Bing? Get its care calendar for your exact ZIP code, with email reminders.

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Questions

How many chill hours does Bing need?
Bing needs 700–900 chill hours.
What hardiness zones suit Bing?
Bing grows in USDA zones 5–8.
Is Bing self-pollinating?
No — Bing needs a compatible pollination partner nearby.

Sources

  1. [1] Raintree Nursery. Bing Cherry — variety page — accessed July 2026
  2. [2] Utah State University Extension (Intermountain Tree Fruit Production Guide). Varieties for Utah — Cherry — accessed July 2026
  3. [3] Washington State University Tree Fruit. Pollination – Sweet Cherry (WSU Tree Fruit) — accessed July 2026
  4. [4] University of Maine Cooperative Extension. Growing Fruit Trees in Maine — Lack of Fruitfulness — accessed July 2026
  5. [5] USDA National Agricultural Library. USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection (Rare and Special Collections, 1886-1942) — accessed July 2026
  6. [6] Washington State University Tree Fruit. Bacterial canker in Washington sweet cherries (WSU Tree Fruit) — accessed July 2026