I think I've been short on chilling in my greenhouse. The self fruitful that sets best is Sonata. Rainier is the best that needs a pollinator. I don't have Stella but do Lapins. Sonata sets better than Lapins. Sonata is very large and a bit tart unless fully ripe. But when fully ripe it's very good.

In general I've had a harder time setting fruit on the self fertile than on those that need a pollinator. The primary issue is deformed flower parts and lack of pollen.

I'll know for certain next year if my issue is chilling. I'm going all out to get more than enough next winter.

I have both Stella and Lapins (ultradwarfs in containers) here at the Central Coast (just a block or two from the back bay). They both bloomed and fruited a little last year. I expect they will do so again based on the looks of their swelling buds.

According to the recently posted chill calculator we got somewhere between 400-500 hrs this past season, That's more than I always assumed we would get so just to be sure I have these trees in a spot that gets no sun from Fall to early Spring. Seems to be working so far.

The other experiment that also seems to be working is a planting of Minnie Royal and Royal Lee in a similar shaded situation. These trees are still in the shade and have not bloomed yet. Meanwhile, two potted trees of the same variety that started getting some sun in January, began blooming in mid-February. I'm trying to miss the rains that ruin stone fruit crops during bloom and plan on putting some apricots in a similar situation.

We'll see.....

I was just going to ask this question. Is there anyone else in zone 10 southern California growing a Lapins cherry?

I realize Lapins was kind of a new variety of cherry, released in 1984, and not widely available until the late 80's to early 90's, which has now become superseded by Royal Lee/Royal Minnie, so there may not be that many with experience growing a Lapins in SoCal. But Lapins is kind of unique stand-alone variety in that it does not require another pollinator (it was a cross between Vans and Stella).

I'm growing a Lapins in Laguna Niguel on a hillside. There are some big oak trees growing close to it (on the south facing side) so it does get some partial shade during the morning and evening during the Winter season. During the summer, only the base of the tree is shaded (only partially), while the top gets full sun exposure. I think having half the surrounding ground shaded helps keep some moisture in the soil, as well as the surrounding air, which ultimately is helpful to the tree in this climate, since if it was just planted out in the open things could get pretty dry. The tree seems to be pretty resilient, even going for a 3 month stretch with no water. One day I found the main trunk broke, the poor tree and its leaves laying against the ground. so I bent it back and staked it. Miraculously the tree has survived. It's only been in the ground 14 months. It doesn't get watered very often, but when I do I make sure it gets deeply watered.

Of course the little tree hasn't fruited yet, but I've heard a report that Lapins is able to produce cherries here, albeit inconsistently, maybe every other year or so. I get the impression that Lapins was the best low chill option available before the arrival of Royal Lee/Royal Minnie.

I know even a Bing or Rainier can set blossoms here, if they are in partial shade over the winter (actually my Rainier was PACKED with blossoms, though no cherries). And if Lapins sets blossoms, I think there's a good chance its going to set cherries since it's self-fertile (after being pollinated, less likely to abort fruit set due to low vigor).

Interesting, fruitnut, I had heard just the opposite, that self-fertile cherry varieties were suspected to be more likely to set fruit from blossoms. At least that's what orchardist Matthew Søberg Shugart of UC Davis said in his blog.

I planted a ultra dwarf Stella cherry tree from bare root in SF valley zone 10a. It is planted in a spot that is partially shaded. That spot hardly gets sun from fall to winter ( I am assuming that might help the tree in my low chill zone). I am looking forward to how this tree takes on. Anyone with experience with stella/ ultradwarf stella in my zone or in SoCal?