Rainier Cherry Tree

Rainier is a sweet cherry with large, firm fruit: pink-red blush over a yellow background and pale flesh. Washington State University reports a delicate flavor, bloom with Bing, and ripening about four days after Bing. WSU identifies its origin in Prosser, Washington, and records Bing and Van as its parent cultivars. ## Site and Pollination Plant in full sun in fertile, well-drained soil that holds moisture during fruit growth. Rainier blooms in spring with white flowers. WSU lists it in pollen group IX, so plan a compatible pollinizer with overlapping bloom if fruit production is the goal. Protect developing cherries from birds, and harvest when the fruit is fully colored and sweet. ## Maintenance Prune to maintain a sturdy open framework and remove dead, damaged, or crossing wood. Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment and fruit development while avoiding waterlogged soil. A mulch layer can conserve moisture; leave space around the trunk. See [WSU’s Rainier profile](https://treefruit.wsu.edu/variety/rainier/) and [Oregon State’s sweet cherry profile](https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/prunus-avium).