Both types are used for culinary purposes such as desserts, cakes, confectionery, jams and drinks. Tart cherries form the basis of the traditional American cherry pie. The trees grow well in climates which favour sweet cherries, but tart cherries can also be grown in areas with milder summers and colder winters, such as inland parts of the South Island of New Zealand. The tree flowers 10-14 days later than sweet cherries, reducing the need for frost protection. Following rain close to harvest, tart cherry fruit are less susceptible to splitting and brown rot than sweet cherries.
Birds are less attracted to the crop, which enables fruit to be left hanging on the tree longer.
This is particularly noticeable with the high-acid, morello fruit. Fruit can be harvested in a single pick, using relatively unskilled labour. The trees are self-fertile, therefore a single tree or block of a single cultivar can be expected to set a crop. Most sweet cherry cultivars are self infertile. Few of these original trees remain, although a collection of tan cherries has been retained at the Clyde Research Orchard.