Why would a cherry tree suddenly produce fruit after 18 years?
I have lived in my current home in Southfield, Michigan, for 18 years. There is a tree on the side of my house that was here when I moved in. Every year leaves, not flowers, have populated the tree. This summer, for the first time in the 18 years, the tree has sprouted hundreds of cherries. Some are now mature with the pit and all. Is this typical? Or is it strange for a cherry tree to go this long without producing cherries and then suddenly produce them?
Cherry trees should not take that long to bear fruit. Here are a couple of ideas: 1) If your tree was planted in a semi-shady location, it may not have received enough light for the tree to bear fruit until recently. 2) If your tree is not a very hardy cultivar or it is planted in an especially cold area, the blossoms may have frozen each year before now. Click on this link for more information about good cherry cultivars for Michigan:
Growing Cherries on Home Grounds