Autumn 2024 planting seasonPre-order now for EU delivery December 2024 - March 2025

Napoleon Bigarreau cherry trees

Prunus avium
Napoleon Bigarreau sweet cherries
Napoleon Bigarreau is listed in the RHS Plants for Pollinators
  • Picking season: Early early / mid July
  • Self-fertility: Not self-fertile

Napoleon is a well-known traditional large white cherry, and a good example of a "bigarreau" or firm-fleshed variety. The flavour is sweet/sharp, tangier than most of the modern varieties, and of very good quality.

Napoleon is usually classified as a white cherry, on account of its pale golden white flesh.

Despite its name, the Napoleon cherry is not French - it originates from Germany where there is a long history of cherry cultivation.

Bio / Organic  fruit trees

Napoleon Bigarreau organic cherry trees for sale


  • 1 yeartree on Gisela 6 rootstock25.00€
    Large tree (3m-5m after 10 years) Bare-root
    Sold-out

Contact us if you would like to go on the waiting list for next season.

EU delivery countries
  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • Croatia
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • France
  • Germany
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Latvia
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Netherlands
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Slovakia
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
Delivery chargesClick here to view estimated delivery charges.

Growing and Training

As is often the case with fruit varieties, the ones with the best flavour can be the most difficult to grow. Napoleon's weak point is its susceptibility to infections of bacterial canker. You can minimise the likelihood of this happening by keeping pruning to an absolute minimum, since pruning cuts are an entry point for the disease.

On a more positive note, Napoleon is a prolific bearer, and the tree is generally very hardy. It also flowers later in the spring than most varieties, which helps the blossom escape early frosts.

The cherries ripen over a long period, allowing several pickings to be made - a particularly useful quality in cherries, which are always best when eaten straight from the tree.

Napoleon requires a pollination partner, one of the modern self-fertile varieties such as Stella or Sunburst is a good choice.


Napoleon Bigarreau characteristics

  • Gardening skillAverage
  • Self-fertilityNot self-fertile
  • Flowering group5
  • Picking seasonEarly - early / mid July
  • Season of use1-3 days - in a fridge
  • Food usesEating fresh
  • Summer average maximum temperaturesCool ( 20-24C / 68-75F)Warm (25-30C / 76-85F)
  • Country of originGermany
  • Period of origin1750 - 1799
  • Fruit colourYellow / Red

Similar varieties

  • Blanc Nez
    A bigarreau -type white cherry from northern France.
  • See also Lapins
    Lapins
    An excellent modern sweet cherry. Easy to grow, with heavy crops of good-flavoured cherries.
  • See also Regina
    Regina
    Regina is a new late-season sweet black cherry, with a good flavour and resistance to splitting.
  • Verchocq
    Verchocq is a traditional white cherry, maturing in early July.