Companion planting for cherry trees is a horticultural practice designed to maximize the health and yield of the tree by strategically using nearby plants. This method focuses on creating a beneficial understory ecosystem that provides natural support, improves soil conditions, and reduces the need for external interventions like chemical fertilizers or pesticides. This article details the best plants to cultivate near your cherry tree and identifies the specific species you should keep out of the orchard.
Principles of Companion Planting for Fruit Trees
Companion planting functions through several distinct biological and ecological mechanisms to support the fruit tree. One primary mechanism involves soil enrichment, where certain plant roots assist in nutrient cycling. Legumes, such as clover, host rhizobia bacteria in their root nodules, which fix atmospheric nitrogen into a form the cherry tree can use, essentially providing natural fertilization.
Other plants, known as dynamic accumulators, have deep taproots that mine subsoil minerals like potassium and calcium, bringing them up into their leaves. When these leaves drop or are used as mulch, the nutrients become available to the cherry tree’s shallow feeder roots. The dense canopy created by a living understory also acts as a living mulch, suppressing competitive weeds and regulating soil temperature and moisture. Diverse plantings also attract beneficial insects, a cornerstone of natural pest management.
Beneficial Species for Cherry Tree Health
Ideal companion plants for cherry trees can be grouped by their main function, beginning with pest deterrents that use strong aromas to confuse harmful insects. Alliums, including chives and garlic, release sulfur compounds that can mask the scent of the cherry tree, making it harder for pests like aphids to locate. Planting small clumps of these aromatic herbs near the tree helps create a protective barrier.
Pollinator attractors are equally important, as cherry trees require cross-pollination for fruit set. Species like dill and yarrow produce umbrella-shaped flower heads, called umbels, which are particularly attractive to beneficial wasps and ladybugs that prey on common cherry pests. Borage is another excellent choice, providing a long-lasting source of nectar for bees and acting as a dynamic accumulator of soil minerals.
For soil improvement and ground cover, white clover is highly effective, offering low-growing coverage that fixes nitrogen without aggressively competing with the tree’s roots. Comfrey is valued for its deep root system, which helps break up compacted soil and draws up potassium, a nutrient that supports fruit development. Comfrey leaves can be periodically chopped and dropped onto the soil surface to decompose, recycling gathered nutrients directly into the root zone.
Detrimental Plants to Exclude from the Orchard
Certain plants can severely hinder a cherry tree’s growth and health and should be strictly excluded from the orchard area. The most destructive category includes plants that exhibit allelopathy, meaning they release chemical compounds that inhibit the growth of nearby species. Black walnut trees produce a powerful toxin called juglone, which is harmful to cherry trees and other members of the stone fruit family.
Disease Vectors and Competitors
Another major group to avoid is the nightshade family, which includes tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplant. These plants can host diseases like Verticillium Wilt, a soil-borne fungus that can easily transfer to and damage cherry trees, which are highly susceptible.
Aggressive Root Systems
Additionally, plants with aggressive or competitive root systems, such as ornamental grasses and certain spreading herbs like mint, should be kept away. These species compete directly with the cherry tree for water and nutrients in the upper layer of the soil beneath the canopy.
Heavy feeders, such as brassicas like cabbage and broccoli, pose a problem by rapidly depleting the soil of nitrogen and potassium needed for cherry tree growth and fruit production. Fennel is another allelopathic plant that should be planted far away, as it releases chemicals that suppress the growth of many neighboring plants. Sunflowers are also detrimental due to their tall, shading nature and high demand for water.
Strategic Placement and Maintenance of Companion Plants
The successful integration of companion plants depends heavily on their strategic placement relative to the cherry tree’s structure. To prevent crown rot and rodent damage, a cleared zone of 6 to 12 inches should be maintained immediately around the trunk, typically covered only with wood chip mulch. The most beneficial planting area is located between this trunk zone and the drip line, which marks the furthest extent of the tree’s canopy.
Placement
Low-growing ground covers and alliums should be planted within this area to suppress weeds and deter pests without interfering with the tree’s main root flare. Taller species, such as pollinator-attracting flowers or nitrogen-fixing shrubs, are best situated just outside the drip line where they receive more sunlight and their roots are less competitive with the cherry tree’s shallow feeder roots.
Maintenance
Maintenance should focus on minimizing soil disturbance, as cherry trees have delicate, shallow root systems that can be damaged by heavy tilling. Companion plants like comfrey should be managed using a “chop-and-drop” method to create a nutrient-rich mulch layer without uprooting the plant.