Illustrative photo.
Prunus avium 'MOREAU' bigarreau cherry - medium early - self-sterile
size/type
medium-sized tree
usual height
5-7m
usual width
3-5m
leaves
deciduous broadleaf
colour of leaves
flowers
less showy but noticeable
colour of flowers
blooming time
April
location
full sun
soil type
acidic (peaty) to neutral
soil moisture requirements
evenly moist but well-drained
USDA zone (lowest)
5 (down to -29°C)
winter protection
for zone 5+6
for zone 7
categorized
Prunus
The wild cherry (Prunus avium) is a native tree of Europe and western Asia, ranging from the Atlantic regions to the Caucasus, where it grows in deciduous forests on deep, well-drained soils. It belongs to the rose family (Rosaceae) and was formally described as a distinct species in the 18th century. Its origin can be traced back to refuges of the temperate zone after the last Ice Age, from where it gradually spread both naturally and with the help of humans and birds. Archaeobotanical finds even suggest that our prehistoric ancestors – including Neanderthals – may have enjoyed its small, wild fruits. Within the species there is great variability in fruit size and ripening, which became the foundation for traditional European breeding of sweet cherries.
Historically, cherries were valued since antiquity – eaten fresh, dried, preserved, or pressed into juices and wines; later, compotes and jams became common. The first systematic collections and descriptions of cultivars appeared in the 17th–19th centuries in Western Europe, especially in France and Germany, where the cherry became an iconic orchard and avenue tree. In culture, it is often linked with spring and fertility, while the European names usually derive from the Latin cerasus, although Prunus avium is the sweet cherry (in contrast to the sour cherry, Prunus cerasus). Breeding and selection focused on fruit size and firmness, balanced sweetness, regular yiled, and more recently also on resistance to spreading diseases, resulting in a wide palette of old and modern cultivars.
Description of the plant
Moreau is a French cherry cultivar from the 19th century, named after the breeder Moreau of Angers (Loire, France). It first appears in the literature around 1880, making it an older, classic bigarreau type. Its fruits are medium‑large to large, round to slightly heart‑shaped, with dark red to almost black skin. The flesh is firm, dark‑colored, juicy, and sweet, with a pronounced aromatic flavor that ranks it among the prized table cherries. The stone is medium‑sized and separates well. It ripens in mid‑season, usually in the first half of July under Central European conditions, and provides a fairly consistent harvest. The fruits are suitable not only for fresh consumption but also for preserving and for the production of juices or brandies.
The tree grows moderately to vigorously, with a broadly spreading crown that in maturity can reach 3–5 meters in width and 5–7 meters in height depending on the rootstock. It bears mainly on bouquet spurs, which ensures regular yield. The cultivar is self‑sterile and therefore requires suitable pollinators with a similar flowering period (e.g. ‘Hedelfingen’, ‘Schneider’s Late’). Pruning is generally not recommended, as cherries heal poorly and wounds may become entry points for fungal diseases, especially blossom wilt (Monilinia). The exception is maintenance pruning after harvest, which helps maintain an airy crown and accessibility for picking. As for rootstocks, on seedling mazzard it grows to full size and longevity; on Colt it is somewhat more compact and better suited to gardens; while on Gisela 5 or Gisela 12 it can be kept smaller with an earlier onset of fruiting.
Cherries require full sun, deep, fertile, and well-drained soils with a slightly acidic to neutral reaction, regular watering during dry periods, and balanced fertilisation without excess nitrogen. After planting, a strong support is essential – a single pole is sufficient for young trees and half-standards, while standards require a tripod support for at least three years. During this period, keep the soil around the roots free of grass and weeds; even later, a clean soil surface is recommended. Cherries generally develop a strong, often shallow-spreading root system that provides stability and efficient water uptake, but may disturb paving, paths, or low walls if planted too close to built structures. The cultivar is hardy to at least –29 °C, making it suitable even for colder regions of Central Europe.
Last update 27-08-2010; 22-10-2025
QUICK PRICE OVERVIEW
half-standard
height of stem 100-120 cm, odnož ptáčnice
1 490 Kč
half-standard
height of stem 100-120 cm, odnož ptáčnice
1 490 Kč
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GLOSSARY
- STANDARD QUALITY - Plants of this group are 1st class quality with number of branches and overall density adequate to their size and age, considering they were container grown.
- DE LUXE QUALITY - This label guarantees a luxurious quality of manually selected plants that, compared to their height and age, are exceptionally dense and beautiful.
- EXTRA - These plants are usually mature and bigger specimens with exceptional overall appearance.
- STANDARD (as described in the plant form) means a tree with a trunk of 190-210 cm and a crown at the top, unless specified differently. The commercial size for trees is their girth measured in the height of 1m from ground.
- HOBBY - These plants are of the same quality as our standard-quality plants but younger and therefore cheaper.
- SHRUB - a woody plant with branches growing bushy from the ground level.
- HALF-STANDARD or MINI-STANDARD - a small tree with shorter trunk, its size is usually specified.
- FEATHERED - These are trees with branches growing already from the base of the trunk and up along the stem.
- GRASSES and PERENNIALS - Sizes given usually read the diameter of the pot or the clump, as specified.
