sweet cherry

sweet cherry, (Prunus avium), species of cherry cultivated for its sweet, edible fruits. It is one of three types of cherries that are grown commercially, the others being tart cherries and dukes, which are crosses of sweet and tart cherries. A popular summer fruit, sweet cherries are usually consumed fresh and are the principal type preserved in true or imitation maraschino liqueur. The fruits provide vitamin A and small amounts of such minerals as calcium and phosphorus and are a source of dietary fiber and antioxidants.

Physical description

Sweet cherry trees are large and rather upright, attaining heights up to 11 meters (36 feet). The trees are deciduous and bear simple, toothed leaves alternately along the stems. Each leaf has a pair of characteristic glands at the base of the leaf blade. Borne in small rounded clusters, the showy white flowers have five petals and numerous stamens.

The sweet cherry fruit is a fleshy drupe (stone fruit) borne on a long stem. It is generally heart-shaped to nearly globular and measures about 2 cm (1 inch) in diameter. Varieties include bing, Rainier, and Queen Anne, and the color ranges from yellow through red to nearly black. The fruits have a low acid content and a sweet, mildly tart flavor.

Cultivation

Cherries are grown in all areas of the world where winter temperatures are not too severe and where summer temperatures are moderate. They require winter cold in order to blossom in spring. The trees bloom quite early in the spring, just after peaches and earlier than apples, and crops are susceptible to late frosts. Sweet cherries are vulnerable to a number of plant diseases, including scab, bacterial canker, black knot, crown gall, leaf curl, and powdery mildew, among others. Common insect pests include scale, aphids, and fruit flies, and backyard trees must be protected from bird predation (at a commercial level, crop losses from birds are usually considered insignificant).

Cyanide poisoning

The pit of each cherry fruit houses the seed and contains a cyanide compound known as amygdalin. When metabolized in the digestive system, this chemical degrades into highly poisonous hydrogen cyanide (HCN). Although an intact pit will likely pass harmlessly through the body if accidentally swallowed, pits that have been ground, crushed, or chewed can cause cyanide poisoning if consumed in sufficient amounts. Cherries should not be put whole into smoothies or juiced without first removing the pits.

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