Sweet cherries for eating and acid cherries for cooking, self-fertile varieties, and cherries for a shady wall — curriculum-shaped, with our own drawings and a public fact-check log. Where two good sources, or two official RHS pages, disagree, we keep both in view.
The RHS says cherry trees are an asset to any garden, with pretty spring flowers that attract pollinators, delicious fruits and bright autumn foliage. RHS Cherry trees produce either sweet cherries for eating fresh or acid cherries for cooking, the RHS says, and come in various sizes to suit most gardens. RHS
Many modern varieties are self-fertile, which means you only need one tree for a good crop, the RHS says. RHS If space is tight, the RHS says, you can grow a fan-trained cherry flat against a wall or fence, or even a compact tree in a large container. RHS
Britannica says cherry refers to any of various trees belonging to the genus Prunus and their edible fruits. Britannica
Sweet cherries for eating fresh, in the sun; acid cherries for cooking, which will also take some shade. Not to scale.Drawing: our own, simplified and not to scale