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Sweet Cherry variety

Lambert

The short answer

Lambert requires 800 chill hours[1] and grows in USDA zones 5–8[2]. It needs a pollination partner[2].

Growing facts

Lambert growing facts
Chill requirement800 chill hours[1] (nursery figure)
HardinessUSDA zones 5–8[2]
PollinationNeeds a pollination partner, bloom group 3[2]
Harvest windowJuly[2]
Years to bearing5–7 years (typical for sweet cherries)[3]
AppearanceVery large, firm, heart-shaped; black skin with dark, sweet flesh[2]
USDA pomological watercolor of Lambert sweet cherry
Prunus avium: LambertUSDA pomological watercolor, Deborah Griscom Passmore, 1907 · USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection

Plate provenance[4]

Pollination partners

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

Show 2 more compatible varieties

Notes

  • Not self-fruitful; pollenizer required (Van or Stella). Will not cross-pollinate with Bing or Royal Ann.[2]
  • In the same S-allele incompatibility group as Bing, Royal Ann/Napoleon and Rainier, so those cannot pollinate each other.[5]
  • Late-ripening dark cherry; rated relatively tolerant to bacterial canker.[6]

A year with your Lambert

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 Lambert where I live?

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

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

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Questions

How many chill hours does Lambert need?
Lambert needs 800 chill hours.
What hardiness zones suit Lambert?
Lambert grows in USDA zones 5–8.
Is Lambert self-pollinating?
No — Lambert needs a compatible pollination partner nearby.

Sources

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