Types of Large Cherries

General

• The cherry industries uses rows as a standard measurement for the fruit. This came from the practice of packing the top layer of cherries in neat rows in a standard shipping box, with 9 fruit in a row referred to as 9-row-size cherries. A row measurement equates to a minimum size of cherry in inches, with larger varieties typically having a size in excess of 1 inch.

Rainier

• The Rainier variety has a distinctive appearance, with the cherry having a yellow color with a red blush. First produced in 1960 by the United States Department of Agriculture and the Washington Agricultural Experiment Station by crossing the Van and Bing varieties, the fruit of a Rainier cherry tree can grow to a large size. A high sugar content provides it with a very sweet taste.

Lapins

• Originally created in 1983 by the Summerland research station of the Canadian Department of Agriculture, the Lapins cherry is a cross between the Van and Stella varieties. The Lapins variety can grow one of the largest cherries, which has a red to deep purple color and good resistance to splitting.

Staccato

• Other large cherry varieties developed by the Summerland research station of the Canadian Department of Agriculture include the Staccato. The fruit of this tree has a large, heart shape, with a dark red to black color. This variety typically ripens later in the growing season, and has an August harvesting date.

Tieton

• A cross between the Stella and Early Burlat varieties, a Tieton cherry tree produces fruit of a very large size, which can grow up to around 1.1 inches in width. The fruit has a dark mahogany red color, with a lighter red inner flesh. It has a mild taste, falling into the sweet cherry category.

Cupid

• The Cupid cherry variety can grow to 1.1 inch and larger in size. Originally produced at the University of Saskatchewan, this fruit has a dark red color, and is a self-pollinating variety of cherry tree.

Other Varieties

• Other varieties that can grow larger size fruit include the Summit cherry. This has a large, heart shape, with a shiny, bright red appearance. The Bing is one of the most common cherry varieties, with the fruit having a large, dark red to black appearance.