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
Results
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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.
Other Cherry (Sweet) Varieties
Chill hour data from ERA5 reanalysis (Copernicus/ECMWF). Variety information compiled from university extension services.