Wowza! Dwarf Cherry (Bundle of 2)

Overview

Wowza! is an extremely cold-hardy dwarf bush cherry developed for northern continental climates where traditional cherry trees often struggle to survive. It produces unusually large bright red sour cherries on a compact, multi-stemmed shrub, although can be grown as a single stem tree (some argue this can actual reduce the hardiness, though). The plant is valued for its winter survival, manageable size, and improved fruit quality in very cold regions.

Unlike sweet cherries (Prunus avium), Wowza! is a tart cherry type bred for cold climates and reliable production. Its shrub growth habit allows easy harvest without ladders and makes it well suited to small orchards, high-density plantings, and northern fruit-growing systems.

Origin & History

Wowza! originates from the long-running fruit breeding program at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada, one of the most important cold-climate fruit breeding programs in the world. The program began in the 1940s under Dr. Les Kerr and later continued by Dr. Cecil Stushnoff and Dr. Bob Bors. The goal was to develop fruit crops capable of surviving the extreme winter conditions of the Canadian prairie provinces, where temperatures regularly fall below −40°F.

To achieve this, breeders crossed Mongolian cherry (Prunus fruticosa), a very low-growing and extremely cold-hardy shrub native to central Asia, with sour cherry (Prunus cerasus), which offers larger fruit and improved eating quality. These interspecific hybrids produced a new class of “prairie bush cherries” combining the extreme hardiness and compact habit of Mongolian cherry with the fruit size and productivity of sour cherry.

Wowza! is a University of Saskatchewan selection originally known as ‘Big Red’. It was later introduced into the nursery trade under the name Wowza! for commercial distribution. Although derived from the same breeding population that produced the well-known Romance Series cherries (Carmine Jewel, Juliet, Romeo, Cupid, Valentine, and Crimson Passion), Wowza! itself is not formally part of that named series but shares the same hybrid background and breeding objectives.

The development of these bush cherries represents one of the most significant advances in cold-climate fruit breeding, allowing reliable cherry production in regions previously considered too cold for commercial cherry growing.

Fruit & Uses

Wowza! produces very large fruit for a bush cherry, larger than many earlier prairie cherry selections. The cherries are bright red with firm flesh and relatively high sugar levels for a tart cherry, often measured in the mid to high teens Brix range under good growing conditions. Breeder descriptions note the fruit as somewhat elongated in shape.

Some descriptions emphasize that Wowza! is “sweet,” but it is important to understand this in context. Wowza! is not a sweet cherry type. It is genetically a tart cherry. It is sweeter than many traditional tart cherries and can be eaten fresh when fully ripe, but it still retains a distinctly tart profile typical of sour cherries.

The fruit is excellent for fresh eating for those who enjoy tart cherries and is especially well suited for baking, preserves, juice, and freezing. Like most sour cherries, its balance of sugar and acidity makes it particularly useful for processing.

Fruit typically ripens late in the bush cherry season. Compared with some University of Saskatchewan releases, Wowza! may produce lighter overall yields, but it is notable for exceptional fruit size and quality.

Growth Habit

Wowza! grows as a naturally dwarf, multi-stemmed shrub rather than a single-trunk tree. Plants typically reach about 5–8 feet tall with a similar spread.

The plant is grown on its own roots and produces new shoots from the base, which improves long-term survival and allows recovery if winter dieback occurs. White blossoms appear in spring followed by summer fruit.

Spacing

Plants are typically spaced about 5–7 feet apart for individual shrubs. Closer spacing can be used for hedgerow or high-density plantings depending on management goals.

Pollination

Wowza! is self-fertile and capable of producing fruit on its own. Planting multiple bush cherry cultivars can improve fruit set and yield. Flowers are insect-pollinated, primarily by bees.

Cold Hardiness

Wowza! was developed specifically for prairie climates with severe winters and is commonly rated hardy to USDA Zone 2. University of Saskatchewan bush cherries are widely known for surviving extreme winter temperatures approaching −50°F under suitable conditions.

Other Notes

The shrub growth habit of prairie bush cherries reduces winter injury compared to tree-form cherries and allows plants to regenerate if stems are damaged. Wowza! is particularly notable within this group for its very large fruit size and strong adaptation to harsh continental climates.