Cherry (Sweet)

Can I Grow Bing?

Bing is the iconic dark sweet cherry — large, firm, and intensely flavored with that deep mahogany color. It's the standard by which all other sweet cherries are judged.

Growing Requirements

Chill Hours

700

Hardiness Zones

5-6-7-8

Harvest

June to July

Pollination

Needs pollinator (Lapins, Stella, or Van — NOT Rainier)

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About Bing

Bing is the iconic dark sweet cherry — large, firm, and intensely flavored with that deep mahogany color. It's the standard by which all other sweet cherries are judged.

Bing requires 700 chill hours — the number of hours between 32°F and 45°F during winter dormancy. Without enough chill, the tree may fail to flower properly or produce poor fruit.

⚠️ Common Challenges

Highly prone to rain cracking; requires a pollinator and is picky about partners (not compatible with Rainier).

❌ Common Misconception

Can I grow Bing in Zone 9 or warmer?

No. While Bing is listed for zones 5-8, it requires 700 chill hours to produce fruit. Warm zones like 9+ typically receive only 200-400 chill hours. The tree may survive but will not fruit reliably. Consider low-chill alternatives like Anna apple (200h) or Tropic Snow peach (200h) instead.

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Chill hour data from Open-Meteo Historical Weather API. Variety information compiled from university extension services.