Meteor cherries not ripening - Ask Extension
Hello,
We have a mature Meteor cherry tree that for the past two years has flowered and produced cherries just fine, but then the fruit fails to r...
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Meteor cherries not ripening #936406
Asked June 22, 2026, 4:13 PM EDT
Hello,
We have a mature Meteor cherry tree that for the past two years has flowered and produced cherries just fine, but then the fruit fails to ripen. Last year the cherries stayed green and hard all season and this year they are beginning to turn red, but are still small and hard, with many eventually dropping off the tree. (See pictures)
This does not match any cherry tree disease or insect descriptions I've found. An expert at last year's state fair horticulture building told us it was fungus caused by excessive spring rains, and that it should be better this year. We are wondering if we should treat it with fungicide or what can be done to solve this problem. The tree appears healthy in every other way as far as we can tell.
Thanks for your help!
Barbara
Ramsey County Minnesota
Expert Response
Thank you for writing.
There are a couple of reasons. Although it is true that meteor cherries are self pollinating, they produce larger harvests with another tart pollinator cherry nearby. Also, although the pollen from a single meteor blossom can pollinate another blossom on the same tree, the pollen still travels by bees and so pollinator deficiency from lack of a flower garden attracting a bee population during blossom for your tree is a problem. https://extension.unr.edu/publication.aspx?PubID=7056
Another problem is if insecticides are being used against pests in plants around your cherry, they will kill or reduce the number of pollinators.
Inadequate sun, a late frost killing blossoms
Warm winters can prevent cherries from maturing. chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://ucanr.edu/sites/default/files/2013-08/171583.pdf
Pruning should be done to create an open plant with good air flow. Most authors recommend pruning in August. chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://fruit.webhosting.cals.wisc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/36/2016/03/TrainingPruningYoungCherryTreesE1744.pdf
chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://mntca.umn.edu/sites/mntca.umn.edu/files/files/media/pruning_fruit_trees_johnson_2.27.2020_1.pdf
There are a couple of reasons. Although it is true that meteor cherries are self pollinating, they produce larger harvests with another tart pollinator cherry nearby. Also, although the pollen from a single meteor blossom can pollinate another blossom on the same tree, the pollen still travels by bees and so pollinator deficiency from lack of a flower garden attracting a bee population during blossom for your tree is a problem. https://extension.unr.edu/publication.aspx?PubID=7056
Another problem is if insecticides are being used against pests in plants around your cherry, they will kill or reduce the number of pollinators.
Inadequate sun, a late frost killing blossoms
Warm winters can prevent cherries from maturing. chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://ucanr.edu/sites/default/files/2013-08/171583.pdf
Pruning should be done to create an open plant with good air flow. Most authors recommend pruning in August. chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://fruit.webhosting.cals.wisc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/36/2016/03/TrainingPruningYoungCherryTreesE1744.pdf
chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://mntca.umn.edu/sites/mntca.umn.edu/files/files/media/pruning_fruit_trees_johnson_2.27.2020_1.pdf
