Sour Cherry - Prunus cerasus

Common Names: Sour Cherry, Tart Cherry, Dwarf Cherry, Morello Cherry, Amarelle Cherry, Griottier, Montmorency Cherry, Prunus cerasus, Cherry, Cerise, Cerise à tarte acide, Cereza, Cirasa, Cerizo, Kirss, Kirsebaer, Chjarasgia, Grease, Kiraz, Kerse, Kirši, Ciliegia, Morell, Ceriéra, Chrisse, Qershia, Vishnya, International: Sour Cherry, Tart Cherry, Prunus cerasus, English: Sour Cherry, Tart Cherry, Dwarf Cherry, Morello Cherry, Montmorency Cherry, Amarelle Cherry, Latin: Prunus cerasus, Origin: Europe, Asia

Latin Name: Prunus cerasus

Origin: Asia, Europe, South America, North America

Short Introduction

For high-quality sour cherry cultivation, site selection is crucial. The best location is at higher altitudes with well-draining, sandy, moist soil and good air circulation (ideally on northern slopes). Sour cherry thrives in sunny and partially shaded spots, although it yields best when grown in full sun. Interestingly, these trees tolerate frost down to -20°C. The finest sour cherry varieties in the United Kingdom are traditionally planted near the coast.

Unfortunately, sour cherry trees are susceptible to frost and cold rains during the flowering period, so avoid areas prone to frequent spring and late frosts (such as close to water bodies). The tree also requires occasional moisture and prefers soils rich in nitrogen. Some sources recommend slightly acidic soils, as sour cherries will survive even in acidified substrates.

The most common propagation method is grafting. Good orchard management is important; oftentimes, sowing clover in spring and letting it grow for several seasons is recommended. Sour cherry seeds intended for sowing should be placed in nursery beds as soon as possible, but note that germination can take up to 18 months. Larger seedlings are transplanted into individual pots.

Sour cherry fruits ripen very quickly, and a timely harvest is necessary, as the fruit spoils easily. Annual worldwide production averages around 1,150,000 tons (as of 2012), with the largest harvests in Turkey, Russia, Poland, Ukraine, Iran, and others.

Detailed Description

A beloved fruit from Europe to Asia.

Botanical Information

Sour cherry may grow as a small deciduous tree, typically reaching 3 to 10 meters in height. The canopy is generally conical, and branches are slender and often pendulous at the tips. Leaves are alternate, ovate, glossy, and light green. The plant blooms in late April or early May, producing white, bisexual flowers that grow in clusters. The tree can self-pollinate its flowers. The fruit consists of dark crimson drupes — the sour cherries — which ripen in July at the tips of short stalks.

Origin and Distribution

The species Prunus cerasus likely originated as a hybrid between Prunus avium and Prunus fruticosa in what is now Iran or Eastern Europe, where these species probably first encountered each other. Sour cherry trees were subsequently cultivated along the Caspian and Black Sea coasts and were known to the ancient Greeks as early as 300 BCE. Persians and Indians valued the fruit, and the Romans introduced sour cherry saplings to Britain in the 1st century CE. The Roman general Lucius Licinius Lucullus is said to have brought sour cherries to Rome from northeastern Anatolia in 72 BCE.

Today, sour cherry is common throughout most of Europe (including the Baltics, Central Europe, Spain, Italy, and southern Scandinavia), in Southwest Asia (including Israel, Lebanon, Uzbekistan), North America (especially the USA), Australia, and northern India. It thrives in temperate climates and is very similar to the sweet cherry (Prunus avium).

Usage / Dosage

Sour cherry rose in popularity in Britain during the reign of Henry VIII in the 16th century. By the 17th century, it became a major crop in Kent, where several dozen cultivars have been developed. The first American variety, bred in Massachusetts, was known as "Kentish Red."

Sour cherries are highly prized for their versatility in food and culinary use, including baking and cooking applications such as pies, cakes, desserts, compotes, jams, and juices. The wood is also valued in the furniture industry. Dried sour cherries, simmered with sugar and mixed with cold water, are a key ingredient in traditional beverages like visne surubu or vishinada. Sour cherry syrup is a popular component in liqueurs and drinks across Turkey, Greece, and Cyprus. Dried cherries are also used in soups and pork dishes. In Belgium, they are used in brewing naturally fermented kriek lambic beer.

Research has shown that regular consumption of an extract containing sour cherry (equivalent to about 230g dried fruit) and apples may moderately improve sleep patterns and habits in individuals with insomnia. One study mentions that the high melatonin content in sour cherries may help alleviate sleep problems.

Certain compounds found in sour cherries may have benefits for inflammatory conditions of the joints and musculoskeletal system, and scientific research suggests some antimicrobial potential as well as possible advantages in managing microbial infections. Other constituents present in sour cherries and other fruits and vegetables have demonstrated potential to inhibit cancer cell proliferation and delay the onset of cardiovascular diseases such as ischemic heart disease.

Anthocyanins in the fruit possess strong antioxidant properties that may slow aging and delay cardiovascular diseases. The antioxidant capacity of sour cherry anthocyanins is considered comparable to that of commercially available vitamin E (at a 2mM concentration). Another study reported the anti-inflammatory effect of sour cherry compounds is comparable to the in vivo effect of acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin), and that their antioxidant content may be about ten times more effective than acetylsalicylic acid.

Inflammatory digestive diseases, peptic ulcers, and intestinal catarrh have historically been treated, both acutely and chronically, with high consumption of sour cherry fruit. While clinical data is limited, some publications note positive effects of sour cherry constituents in these indications.

Traditional Medicine

Sour cherries have a long-standing place in folk medicine, particularly for insomnia and sleep problems. Traditional Anglo-Saxon medicine recommends sour cherries for minor cases of arthritis, indigestion, gout, and increased urination. American herbalists use cherry extracts and preparations to help with fever, colds, and coughs.

Folk healers often prescribe sour cherries (and not just the fruit) as an astringent for mild indigestion and diarrhea, a bitter tonic to stimulate appetite and address digestive disorders, a febrifuge for reducing fever in adults, as a nervine and balm for nervousness and anxiety-related complaints.

Active Compounds

Sour cherries contain a diverse range of bioactive compounds. The fruit provides significant unsaturated fatty acids, oleic acids (including 14 flavan-3-ols, myristic acid, cerotic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, and arachidonic acid), alpha-tocopherol, tocopherols, vitamin A, and tocotrienols.

Other components include about 41 polyphenols, flavonoids, organic acids (such as 5-hydroxycinnamic acids), proanthocyanidins, procyanidins, 11 types of anthocyanins (cyanidin, cyanidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-glucosylrutinoside, cyanidin-3-sophoroside, cyanidin-3-rutinoside), 10 flavonols, 1 flavone, proanthocyanidins, ammonium salts, beta-phycoerythrin, ascorbic acid, and phenylalanine.

Cherries are 80–85% water, with 100g yielding up to 58 calories. Mineral analysis shows significant content of calcium, sodium, iron, magnesium, copper, phosphorus, and zinc. Lesser amounts of carbohydrates (dextrose, sucrose), citric acid, amygdalin, prunasin, tannin, quercetin, and kaempferol are also found.

Traditional Dosage

No specific dosage recommendations are found in available professional sources.