Cherry Emperor Francis

Emperor Francis Cherry

Prunus avium ‘Emperor Francis’ (Emperor Francis Sweet Cherry)
A classic sweet cherry cultivar celebrated for its large, bright red to yellow-blushed cherries with firm flesh and excellent flavor that’s great for fresh eating, canning, pies, preserves, and even maraschino cherries. It’s an old-established variety that has also been used in breeding other sweet cherries.

Size:



Width: ~15–18 ft at maturity (standard unless on a dwarf/rootstock)



Height: ~15–18 ft at maturity



Zones: 5–7 (some sources extend to Zone 8)

Light: Full sun (6+ hr/day)

Soil: Moist, well-drained soils

Features:



Fruit: Large, sweet cherries with bright red or yellow-blushed skin and firm texture — versatile for fresh eating, canning, baking, and preserves



Flowers: White spring blossoms that attract pollinators



Form: Upright, broadly spreading medium to large fruit tree



Excellent fruiting reliability with good size and flavor, and resistance to fruit cracking relative to some older sweet cherries



Attracts:
Pollinators during bloom; birds will be attracted to the fruit (netting recommended)

Uses:
Home fruit production, edible landscapes, backyard orchards

Notes:
• Emperor Francis is not self-fertile and requires a compatible sweet cherry pollinator (e.g., Stella, Sweetheart, or a different variety blooming at the same time) for good fruit set.
• Trees are moderately vigorous and take several years to begin producing fruit.

Plant type

Fruit Tree

Height

12-15'

Width

6-8'

Hardiness zones

5–7

Sunlight

Full Sun

Flower color

White

Leaf color

Green

Fall color

Yellow

Attracts

Birds

Soil

Moist well-drained, Sandy well-drained

Landscape use

Fruit

Shape

Broad Upright, Spreading

Fragrant

Yes

Drought tolerant

No