Stella

Tree Characteristics

• Vigour: Medium to high
• Growth Habit: Upright to spreading, moderately vigorous
• Flowering: Early to mid season
• Pollination: Self-fertile, does not require a polliniser
• Productivity: High
• Alternate Bearing: Low
• Site Suitability: Well suited to a wide range of Australian cherry-growing regions with adequate winter chill

Grower note: Stella’s self-fertility makes it a useful variety in both standalone plantings and mixed orchard systems.

Fruit Characteristics

• Colour: Dark red at maturity
• Colour Timing: Early to mid season
• Finish: Glossy with moderate skin strength
• Shape: Medium to large, round to slightly heart-shaped
• Stem: Medium length
• Eating Quality: Juicy flesh with a sweet, mild flavour profile

Harvest & Storage

• Harvest Window: Early to mid season, typically before Lapins in Australia
• Picking: One to two picks depending on maturity and market requirements
• Storability: Short to medium storage potential; best suited to fresh market programs

Grower note: Stella is generally marketed for fresh consumption rather than extended storage.

Performance & Management

• Packout: Good in well-managed orchards
• Thinning: May be required in heavy crop years to maintain fruit size
• Cropping: Consistent and reliable
• Canopy Management: Regular pruning required to manage vigour and maintain light penetration
• Pest & Disease: Standard cherry pest and disease management required; monitor for cracking in wet seasons

Market Advantages

• Self-fertile flowering simplifies orchard design
• Reliable early to mid-season production
• Good fresh market acceptance
• Useful backbone variety for mixed cherry programs