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Balaton™ Cherry - Raintree Nursery
Balaton™ Cherry - Raintree Nursery

Balaton™ Cherry

Size: Dwarf (4'-5')
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$64.99 - $64.99
$64.99
$64.99 - $64.99
$64.99
SKU C719G

Prunus cerasus 'Balaton'™

Balaton™ tart cherries are larger and firmer than most tart cherries, with a deep burgundy-red color throughout the skin and juicy flesh. Harvest the sweet/tart fruit when it easily separates from the stem for the best flavor and sugar content; the fruits are firm enough to not be damaged by hand picking. Ripens late for a tart cherry.

Balaton™ (Ujfehértōi fürtös) cherry originated in Hungary, selected from a comparison study of traditional strains of nation-wide village tart cherries, as ‘the best’. Dr. Amy Lezzoni, of Michigan State Univ., imported, tested and released this morello-type cherry with the new trade name Balaton™, named for a lake in Hungary. A portion of the royalty fee goes to Hungary’s tart cherry breeding program and the village of Ujfeherto where Balaton originated.

The trees are a bit more vigorous and more upright in growth habit than other tart cherries; give an extra foot or so spacing. Hardy to USDA zone 4; flowers can be damaged by early spring temperature fluctuations, so avoid planting in cold pockets. Trees may set more fruit in cool springs with another tart cherry as a pollinizer. Moderately resistant to cherry leaf spot, brown rot, and rain cracking. 

USDA Zone: 4-9

Grow Height: 12' (Dwarf)

Sun: Full Sun

Ripening Time: Late Season (for a tart cherry)

Pollination: Mostly Self Fertile

Rootstock: Gisela 5

Read our Cherry Growing Guide

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Ask a Question

  • I have a Balaton tart cherry tree that is 12 years old and has never produced more than 6 cherries. I’m thinking that I need to plant another but what kind?

    It may do better with another sour cherry to cross pollinate with. Montmorency is a good choice.

  • I have just purchased a Balaton cherry to plant. It is about 6 feet tall. It has buds, but as yet no leafing, and here it is the end of April. When I break a tip of branch, it is green, looks alive, but no action. Might I consider this normal, and be patient, or did something happen along the line that caused permanent damage? Overall it looks quite healthy, but healthy for early March rather than late April. What do you think?

    This is normal for coming out of cold storage and shipping. Bare root trees can take up to 90 days to emerge from dormancy regardless of the temperatures in your location. You can prune back a tiny bit of the branch tips to promote faster growth.

  • Is Balaton a naturally dwarfing tart cherry if it grows on its own rootstock?

    No, Balaton is considered MORE vigourous and upright than most sour cherries and would certainly be so on it's own roots.

  • How well does Balaton tart cherry trees grow and produce in the hot humid southeast. You say it can grow in zone 9 (I'm in 7) but will it thrive and be as productive as it is in the northern USA?

    USDA Zones are designations of average low winter temperatures and little more. Balaton cherries grow best in high chill hour climates with cool springs, no late frosts, and dry summer conditions.

  • 5 stars: 9 (75%)
  • 4 stars: 0 (0%)
  • 3 stars: 1 (8%)
  • 2 stars: 0 (0%)
  • 1 star: 2 (17%)
O
Olga
Balaton Tree

I recived Balaton Cherry Tree in the Spring, was carefully taking care of it but unfortunately the trunk became dark and no new branches. Look like Tree died. Will try one more time maybe using different nursery however i bought different bushes from raintree and they are ok.

Olga review photo
C
Chris

Tree arrived just coming out of dormancy. About 1 inch trunk, lots of strong branches left on to prune to our liking. Immaculate packaging, as always.

A
Amandawis
great prodcut very fresh

This little tree is truly remarkable—it began to grow leaves immediately after being planted!

M
Marzena
Short warranty

The small tree withered; it did not put out leaves in the spring

J
Janet C.
Productive little tree

Over 20 years ago, I ordered a Balaton cherry from Stark. It began to fruit the 2nd year, and by the 3rd year produced a heavy crop with no known pollinators in my area. I moved to a much colder climate at that time, but now I am back in zone 6, and I am ordering another Balaton. I may eventually get another cherry as a pollinator, but I will start with the Balaton.

S
Stephanie D.
Died

We bought and planted 2 Cherry trees in May, a Balaton and a North Star. Both bare root, both the same size, but from different companies. They were planted 8' apart and cared for exactly the same. The Balaton barely leafed out, then all the leaves shriveled up, and I was holding out hope it would recover, but I'm pretty sure it's dead now. The North Star leafed out and kept on growing, it's quite a nice little tree now. Unfortunately, the Balaton was from Raintree, and they don't guarantee their plants, so I'll be looking for a Balaton from somewhere else in the Spring.

J
Josh
One Year later

I planted my dwarf tree (bare root from Raintree) 53 weeks ago. The tree is extremely vibrant, with hundreds of flower buds blooming. I was going to wait for fruit to write a review, but the quality of the tree is obvious already.

J
Jan

Delivery accomplished perfectly!

L
Lucy S.
Healthy

Received my Balaton cherry in a sturdy box. Leaf buds were beginning to open. Tree was planted immediately and seems to be settling in. Our weather has been cooler than normal, but tree appears healthy. Good company to do business with.

D
Don A.
Great service

When I recieved my order of two Balaton cherry trees there was only one in the box. I contacted Raintree and immediately was contacted... asked to send pictures. It was determined there was an human error in the shipping department and my second tree was sent.. both are doing well. I will definitely go to Raintree nursery in the future

O
Olga N.
Well developed roots

I received this cherry last week. It was about 3.5 ft tall with many healthy branches and a well developed root system. After planting it is already putting out leaves, so I have high hopes to it.

J
Jennifer A.
Great cherry

The plant was well-packed. The trunk diameter was thick and the tree was nilcely branched out. I had one before and the gophers ate the root. This variety is great for pies.