Cherries feature delicious flavors, vibrant colors, and versatility in culinary creations. They come in various shapes, sizes, and tastes and can be categorized into two main types of cherries: sweet cherries and tart cherries.
These distinct categories offer a wide range of cherry varieties, each with its own unique characteristics and culinary uses, from cherry pie to cherry ice cream, cherry cobbler, and more.
In this article:
- How Many Types of Cherries Are There?
- What Are Some Different Types of Cherries
- 50 Types of Cherries to Enjoy
Cherry ice cream is a common ice cream flavor, prepared using typical ice cream ingredients and cherries. Various types of cherries and cherry cultivars are used. In the United States, where the flavor is especially popular, it has been mass-produced since at least 1917. pic.twitter.com/IJrO13UaFN
— WikiVictorian (@wikivictorian) July 3, 2023
How Many Types of Cherries Are There?
From the luscious sweetness of Bing cherries to the tangy allure of Montmorency cherries, cherries provide a delightful diversity. In fact, more than 1,000 varieties are grown in the United States. This guide will introduce you to 50 amazing varieties and describe the nuances of each variety and their best uses.
Cherries provide a delicious mouthwatering treat, but if you’re looking to pair this sweet treat with another confection, consider our Cookies and Fruit Care Package. It comes with strawberries, apple slices, and banana bites dipped in semisweet chocolate and a dozen assorted freshly baked cookies.
What Are Some Different Types of Cherries
In this guide, we will introduce you to 50 different types of cherries that are delicious to enjoy, such as:
- Rainier Cherries
- Kordia Cherries
- Bing Cherries
- Stella Cherries
- …and dozens more
50 Types of Cherries to Enjoy
1. Bing Cherry
Known for their deep red to almost black color and rich, sweet flavor, Bing cherries grow on deciduous trees that can reach 32 feet in height. They ripen in the summer through early fall.
Rainier cherries feature a golden yellow hue with a perky pink to red blush. A delicate fruit inside and out, they provide a sinfully sweet flavor with a high sugar content and larger size than typical cherries.
Montmorency cherries are the most popular tart cherries for pies and preserves. The bright red fruit features a firm yellow flesh and a rich, tart flavor that works well in pies, jams, and jellies.
Originating from Russia, this popular variety of cherry blooms early in the season, producing large red to purplish-black fruit. It features a rich, sweet flavor that’s simply irresistible.
Characterized by their bright red skin and firm flesh, Stella cherries feature bright red skin and firm flesh. They ripen early, making them one of the first cherries to be harvested in the summer season.
Lapins cherries feature a dark red color and sweet taste with a firm texture and a slightly tart undertone. Their well-balanced flavor makes them a popular choice for both fresh eating and use in cooking.
Known for their dark red to black color and rich, sweet-tart flavor, Lambert cherries are commonly used in baking and preserves, as well as fresh consumption. The tree produces a high yield of cherries that is almost guaranteed to turn out an excellent crop each year.
Shaped like a heart, sweetheart cherries feature a deliciously sweet flavor with a slight hint of acidic-tart undertone. These cherries add a burst of natural sweetness to desserts and savory dishes.
Resembling the Rainier in appearance and taste, the Royal Ann Cherry often gets mistaken for this more commonly marketed variety with a refreshing and crisp texture. It is also the type of cherry used for maraschino cherries.
A hardy type of cherry, North Star cherries feature a bright red skin and tart, tangy flavor. They are used in cooking, baking, and for making tart cherry juice due to their vibrant taste and versatility.
The Utah Giant cherry features dark red to almost black skin and firm texture. They also boast an exceptional size and sweet flavor, making them a popular choice for fresh eating and use in desserts.
12. Van Cherry
Van cherries feature a deep crimson-purple color and grow quite large in comparison to other sweet cherry varieties. Sweet, juicy, and quite large, many consider the Van an improvement on the Bing cherry.
13. Napoleon Cherry
The Napoleon cherry has existed since the 1600s and gained the name of the famous emperor in 1820. This delicious variety features a yellow-red skin and a sweet, slightly tangy flavor.
Many consider the Black Republican cherry as one of the finest flavors of all sweet cherries. It features a unique rich flavor and the thick syrupy sweet flesh that make it perfect for eating fresh or adding to desserts.
A product of crossing the Emperor Francis variety with a Stella, the White Gold cherry features a pale yellow to light gold skin. They offer a delicate, sweet flavor profile with subtle tartness.
Originating from Germany, Hedelfingen cherries feature a deep red to nearly black skin and rich, sweet flavor. Enjoy these delicious cherries fresh or use them in various culinary applications like pies and preserves.
Merton Glory cherries bruise easily, so they have never been grown commercially. They feature a shiny yellow color with spots flushed with deep pink, a sweet flavor, and clear white juice.
18. Sunburst Cherry
A cross between a Stella and a Van, the Sunburst cherry provides an ideal combination of sweet and a hint of cherry flavor. Prized for their exceptionally sweet and succulent flavor, they are a delectable choice for eating fresh and desserts.
Originating from France, Emperor Francis cherries feature red-yellow skin and sweet, juicy flavor. Enjoy them fresh from the tree or use them in various culinary applications, including jams and pies.
Brought to the US from Morocco in 1936, the Early Burlat produces plenty of large, dark red, and very sweet fruit. One of the first sweet types of cherries to ripen in the season, you can enjoy them starting in late June.
21. Hudson Cherry
Introduced in 1935 by the NY Experiment Station, Hudson cherries feature a dark color and sweet flavor. They also feature crack and rot resistance, which helps extend their harvest for two weeks or more.
Coral Champagne cherries feature dark flesh and a deep coral exterior. The cherries boast a sweet taste, firm texture and large size, and have quickly become one of the top three varieties of cherries exported from California.
23. Pin Cherry
Pin cherry grows wild across Canada and the Northeastern United States. They feature a small size and bright red color, with a tart and slightly astringent flavor, and are often used in making jams, jellies, and pies.
24. Kristin Cherry
Hardier than other sweet cherries, Kristin cherries can withstand temperatures below 25 degrees. The large, oversized cherries feature dark burgundy skin and flavorful, firm and juicy flesh.
25. Regina Cherry
Regina ripens in mid-to-late July, making it a late-season sweet cherry. They feature a very dark red skin with a firm flesh and excellent sweet flavor, making them a popular choice for fresh eating and desserts, preserves, and more.
26. Meteor Cherry
Known for their bright red skin and sweet, juicy flesh, Meteor cherries produce a bountiful harvest. Meteor cherries are a type of sour cherries, making them perfect for magnificent pies.
27. Windsor Cherry
Windsor cherries are a sweet cherry variety known for their dark red to almost black skin and rich, sweet flavor. They feature a delicious taste and are commonly enjoyed fresh during the cherry season.
28. Morello Cherry
Known for their dark red to almost black skin, Morello cherries feature a tart, acidic flavor. These cherries are not typically consumed fresh due to their sour taste but are highly valued for use in cooking, baking, and making preserves.
29. Viva Cherry
Created in 1935 as a hybrid of Hedelfingen and Victor, Viva cherries feature a medium size, dark red color, and a sweet and delicious flavor. They are great for eating fresh, cooking, and preserving.
30. Sam Cherry
This highly productive variety bears dark red, almost black cherries. Sam cherries bloom late and ripen in June and feature a taste that’s similar to Bing cherries, with a little more tartness.
Black Eagle cherries originated in England in the early 1800s and arrived in Massachusetts in the 1820s. This is one of the most intense flavored cherries with a syrupy sweetness and a hint of Port Wine flavor.
32. Chokecherry
Native to North America, Chokecherries feature an astringent acidic taste. These dark red to almost black berries are not typically eaten fresh due bitter taste, but are often used to make jams, jellies, syrups, and pie fillings.
33. Bullace Cherry
Bullace cherries are a type of wild cherry that is closely related to plums. Small and round, they feature a tart and somewhat astringent flavor and vary in color from green to yellow to deep purple when ripe.
34. Sonnet Cherry
A cross between a Van and Stella cherry discovered in 1998, Sonnet cherries are large cherries with a bright, solid red color. They ripen in the early to mid part of the cherry season.
35. Skeena Cherry
Ready to harvest during the late summer months, Skeena cherries are large and resistant to cracking. They feature a sweet flavor, making them ideal for preserving in jams or for baking them in pies.
Schattenmorelle cherries are a type of sour or tart cherry that ripen in late spring or early summer. They feature dark red to nearly black skin and tart, tangy flavor, and are commonly used in cooking and baking.
37. Tulare Cherry
A cousin to Bing cherries, Tulare cherries feature a sweet, juicy flavor and firm texture. They feature a sweet flavor, making them ideal for nearly any purpose, from eating fresh to canning or freezing.
38. Chelan Cherry
Gorgeous and deep red-colored, Chelan cherries are known for its early ripening, hardiness, and sweet tasting fruit. Developed as a Stella and Beaulieu cross, it gets its name from town of Chelan, located in the state of Washington.
39. Tieton Cherry
The Tieton cherry is known for its large size and deep red to almost black skin. They are prized for their sweet and juicy flesh, making them a popular choice for eating and use in cherry desserts.
40. Chinook Cherry
Chinook produces very similar cherries to Bing cherries in taste and color, but ripens four to ten days earlier. These cherries are one of the most common commercial type for fruit production.
41. Cowiche Cherry
A beloved cherry variety grown in the Pacific Northwest, Cowiche cherries feature dark red to nearly black skin and sweet, juicy flesh. Their exceptional flavor makes them an excellent choice for fresh eating and baking.
42. Selah Cherry
A late season variety, Selah cherries feature dark red to nearly black skin and a sweet, juicy flavor. They are highly prized for fresh eating and are also used in various culinary applications.
A cross between Van and Sam and introduced in 1973 in the United Kingdom, Summit cherries are a sweet cherry variety with a beautiful dark red to black skin. They also feature a deliciously sweet and juicy flesh.
44. Balaton Cherry
Balaton tart cherries are larger than most tart cherries, with a deep burgundy-red color throughout the skin and juicy flesh. They feature a rich, tangy flavor that makes them perfect for baking.
45. Ulster Cherry
Developed in New York, produces large, deep-red sweet cherries that are exceptionally crack-resistant. They feature a sweet, juicy flesh that is prized with snacking or adding to desserts.
Riesenkirsche, which translates to “Giant Cherry” in German, is a type of sweet cherry known for its large size. These cherries feature dark red to nearly black skin and sweet, juicy flesh.
47. Merchant Cherry
Originating from Norwich in the United Kingdom around 1970, Merchant cherries produce large black fruits with excellent sweet flavor. One of the best early to ripen varieties, they are best eaten fresh.
48. Cornelian Cherry
Cornelian cherries are the fruit of the Cornelian cherry dogwood tree. These small, oblong-shaped fruits feature a bright red color with a tart, sour taste that lends itself well to cooking and processing.
49. Kordia Cherry
Originally from Czechoslovakia, Kordia cherries have become popular in the Northwest United States. It produces heavy crops of very sweet and juicy, large, jet-black fruit typically harvested in mid to late summer.
50. Sylvia Cherry
A cross between the varieties Van and Sam, the Sylvia cherry produces a cherry with a juicy and balanced sugar and acidity ratio. A dwarf variety, growers can easily grow them at home on a patio or garden.
Types of Cherries FAQs
What is the difference between sweet cherries and tart cherries?
Sweet cherries feature juicy, sweet flesh, while tart cherries have a more acidic and tangy flavor. They feature a predominantly sweet flavor with varying levels of richness and complexity. They are not typically consumed fresh due to their sour taste but are often used in cooking and baking.
Are certain varieties best for eating fresh and ones that are better for making pies and preserves?
Sweet cherry varieties, such as Bing, Rainier, and Lapins, are best for eating fresh due to their sweet and juicy flesh. On the other hand, bakers prefer tart cherry varieties, including Montmorency and Morello, for making pies and preserves because of their tangy flavor and firm texture.
Can you grow different cherry varieties in your backyard?
You can certainly grow cherry trees in your backyard, but the suitability of specific varieties depends on your local climate and growing conditions. If possible, look for dwarf varieties that have been cultivated for home growers due to their ease of growing and higher levels of hardiness.
