The cherry is one of the most commonly grown home-orchard fruits. There are over 1000 varieties altogether; nearly all derived from two species; P. cerasus (sour cherries) P. avium (sweet cherries). All of these different kinds of cherries are grown in 20 different countries. Cherries have numerous health benefits. Sour cherries are higher in vitamin C and beta carotene. Cherries are full of anthocyanins, which help in production of amino acids. The anthocyanins are also known for their natural anti-inflammatory and pain relieving properties. Therefore, they mitigate the risk of cancer too. Fiber is found in abundance in cherries, so if eaten regularly, cherries can also reduce the risk of disease related to the digestive tract.
Among the different kinds of cherries are black, maraschino, rainier and bing. The choke cherry, north star, acerola, Montgomery, montmorency, balaton, lambert, van, Spanish cherry, black stone cherry, chelan, santina, Skeena, Royal Ann, lapins, sweetheart, tieton and napoleon cherries are some of the less familiar kinds of cherries.
The flavors of each of the different kinds of cherries, depends on lots of variables, including the altitude of the orchard in which they grow, time of year and growing conditions. Cherries are available mid-June to mid-August, peaking in June.
Maraschino cherries are preserved and sweetened. They are made from sweet, light-colored kinds of cherries like the Rainer or Royal Ann. These cherries are kept in a solution of brine, before being covered in a syrupy sugar mixture and food coloring amongst other things. A mint essence is included in green maraschino kinds of cherries.
They are often used in cocktails or as a decoration in frozen yogurt, cakes, parfaits, baked ham, ice cream sodas, pastry and milkshakes. Maraschino cherries are what you will find in your tin of fruit cocktail.
The balaton and montmorency kinds of cherries are produced mainly in Michigan, United States.
The Montgomery cherry is a well-known sour cherry. It is often used as a sauce or as a pie filling. These kinds of cherries are grown mainly in the Eastern and Midwestern States.
Rainer cherries are sweet with a pink or yellowish skin. These kinds of cherries are milder and sweeter than the bing cherry, which is the best known variety of sweet cherry. Rainer cherries are grown in limited quantities.
Chelan cherries are the leading sweet cherry of the Pacific Northwest.
It is said that acerola cherries have the highest concentration of Vitamin C than any other fruit.
The tieton cherry is extremely firm, with a mild, sweet flavour. These kinds of cherries are very large and glossy which makes them a prime choice for fruit displays.
Cherries are also grown in California and Oregon, but Washington is the biggest supplier. Some cherries are imported to the United States from Chile and Canada.
There are many different kinds of cherry trees, collectively known as rosaceous genus Prunus. The wood derived from the cherry tree – cherry wood – is used to make or cover furniture, or to decorate it.