In this paper growing characteristics and fruit bearing parameters of ‘Lapins’, ‘Kordia’, ‘Sweetheart’ and ‘Regina’ sweet cherry cultivars grafted on vigorous Colt rootstock were evaluated at the University of Debrecen, Pallag Experimental Station. Based on our data five years old trees can be described with homogenous strong growing, but very week yielding (2.1-3.1 kg/tree), as while fruit size varies between 26.2 and 27.2 mm. Producing the examined cultivars on Colt rootstock with high plant density requires higher attention and more interventions (root pruning, sawing the trunk) during the technology.

Hungarian sweet cherry production has been changed recently. Thanks to the favourable selling prices many new plantations were established in the last years. In the new orchards mainly spindle canopy are trained, although many type of crown forms are used all over the world. In our study slender spindle and bush canopy were evaluated with three cultivars (‘Petrus’, ‘Vera’, ‘Carmen’) grafted on Prunus mahaleb rootstock. Vigor of the 3-4 years old trees showed spectacular differences. The highest vigor with Spanish bush was found for cv. ‘Vera’, but on slender spindle canopy the thickness values were medium. Meanwhile cv. ‘Petrus’ showed the highest trunk thickness with spindle canopy, but the lowest with Spanish bush. On spindle canopy cv. ‘Carmen’ presented the highest ramification ability, but its 2-3 years old twigs started to bald very early, which can be considered an unfavorable phenomenon. Bush canopy still can be described with strong vegetative growth on 3-4 years old trees, as vigor of spindle trees are more moderate.