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Cherries
Minnie Royal Cherry
✓ VerifiedCalifornia, USA
Bred in California, Minnie Royal and its partner variety Royal Lee were developed together specifically to solve a problem that had long put sweet cherries out of reach for Southern California and similar low-chill climates: nearly all sweet cherries need far more winter chill than those regions receive. The pair's release was a genuine breakthrough that opened real cherry cultivation to a part of the country that had essentially been excluded from it before.
Submitted by @system · 10 days ago
Counts toward the overall Top Tier Fruit list — every category's votes are compared the same way.
Growing & Care
Hardiness zone
USDA Zones 7-9
Chill hours
~250 hours
Pollination
Needs a pollinator — Royal Lee is the standard, bred specifically as its partner.
Care info
One of the few sweet cherries that genuinely performs in low-chill climates.
Recommendations
Always plant alongside Royal Lee — neither variety reliably fruits without the other nearby.
Flavor Profile
Good rich cherry flavor for a low-chill variety
Quick facts
Skin color
Red
Size
Medium to large
Hardiness zone
USDA Zones 7-9
Chill hours
250