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Sweet Cherry variety

Royal Ann

Also known as Napoleon, Royal Anne

The short answer

Royal Ann requires 700 chill hours[1] and grows in USDA zones 5–7[1]. It needs a pollination partner[2].

Growing facts

Royal Ann growing facts
Chill requirement700 chill hours[1] (nursery figure)
HardinessUSDA zones 5–7[1] (nursery figure)
PollinationNeeds a pollination partner, bloom group 3[2]
Harvest windowJune[2]
Years to bearing5–7 years (typical for sweet cherries)[3]
USDA pomological watercolor of Royal Ann sweet cherry
Prunus avium: NapoleonUSDA pomological watercolor, Elsie E. Lower, 1907 · USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection

Plate provenance[4]

Pollination partners

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

Show 2 more compatible varieties

Notes

  • Not self-fruitful; a suggested pollenizer is Van or Black Tartarian, but not Bing.[2]
  • In the same S-allele incompatibility group as Bing, Lambert and Rainier, so those cannot pollinate each other.[5]
  • Blush/yellow cherry also known as Napoleon; very susceptible to bacterial canker.[6]

A year with your Royal Ann

When the work happens for a sweet cherry in USDA zone 6, anchored to typical frost dates.

Months for pruning, thinning, spray-timing windows, and harvest for Sweet Cherry in zone 6
TaskJFMAMJJASOND
Prune——————————
Spray timing—————
Harvest—————————
Care———————————

See the full month-by-month sweet cherry calendar for zone 6 →

Can I grow Royal Ann where I live?

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

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

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Questions

How many chill hours does Royal Ann need?
Royal Ann needs 700 chill hours.
What hardiness zones suit Royal Ann?
Royal Ann grows in USDA zones 5–7.
Is Royal Ann self-pollinating?
No — Royal Ann 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