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Cherry Varieties

These are some of the cherry varieties most commonly grown by Canadian farmers. Most were developed right here in Summerland, British Columbia, Canada at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Summerland Research and Development Center. Except for CristalinaTM and Lapins, you can identify the Canadian-developed varieties because their names begin with the letter ‘S’. These varieties are better suited to our climate than anywhere else in the world.

Canadian growers have cherries ready to pick from June into late August. The ripe timing of each variety listed below refers to the number of days before or after the date when the old ‘Bing’ or ‘Van’ cherries became ripe. Of course, ripe timing also depends on the weather in any given year, and the latitude and altitude at which the fruit are grown. Fun fact: unlike many other fruit, cherries do not continue to ripen once picked, so growers must wait until the fruit has reached the peak of flavour, sugar content, and colour, and pick quickly to retain the firmness and exceptional quality.

Cristalina™

An early-season heart-shaped cherry with large fruit, dark red to black in colour. It is sweet and flavourful and usually firm and crunchy. Cristalina was bred for the Canadian climate in Summerland, Canada. It is a split-resistant fruit with a long shelf life.

Timing Stem Colour Avg weight (g) Firmness (desc) Shape
-5-7 moderately long, thick dark red to black 10 moderate to firm kidney, slightly compressed

Kordia

A very large cherry, dark red to black in colour, and prized for its firm texture, Kordia was developed in the Czech Republic.

Timing Stem Colour Avg weight (g) Firmness (desc) Shape
+9 long dark red to black 11.4 very firm heart

Lapins

This wonderful variety was bred by Dr. Karlis Lapins at the Summerland Research and Development Center. It is possibly the best flavoured cherry in the orchard and has a small pit for more delicious cherry goodness. The Lapins can be very large, and is always best when left to ripen on the tree until it is a rich dark red. Lapins season is mid July to early August.

Timing Stem Colour Avg weight (g) Firmness (desc) Shape
+11 short thick dark red 10.9 very firm flat round / round heart

Rainier

The Rainier variety was developed in the American Pacific Northwest. It is a very sweet yellow cherry with a red blush and firm, fine-textured flesh, and is delicious for eating fresh.

Timing Stem Colour Avg weight (g) Firmness (desc) Shape
+4 long thin yellow with red blush 11 firm round heart

Regina™

This is a German variety with very large dark fruit that is sweet with low acidity and very firm. Excellent shipper.

Timing Stem Colour Avg weight (g) Firmness (desc) Shape
+15 long dark red 10.7 very firm heart, square shouldered

Satin™

A very beautiful early season, large and dark-coloured cherry that picks well and packs nicely for a great product.

Timing Stem Colour Avg weight (g) Firmness (desc) Shape
-2 short thick dark red 10.8 firm heart

Sentennial

This is a high yielding variety that darkens up early but takes longer to reach its full sweetness. Sentennial is often the firmest and latest fruit available, and it ships and stores very well. This cherry has a nice round shape and looks good in a bag or box.

Timing Stem Colour Avg weight (g) Firmness (desc) Shape
+29 short thick dark red 10.7 very firm flat round

Skeena

Larger kidney-shaped fruit with dark red skin – very firm and sweet. Skeena are slightly larger and firmer than Lapins, with similar harvest timing.

Timing Stem Colour Avg weight (g) Firmness (desc) Shape
+10 thick dark red to black 11.6 very firm kidney

Sonata™

Very large, firm, glossy fruit with dark red to black skin, makes a very attractive pack.

Timing Stem Colour Avg weight (g) Firmness (desc) Shape
+7 thick dark red to black 12.7 firm kidney dimple on nose

Sovereign

Sovereign is heart-shaped fruit on a long stem. It has good firmness, and light red/pink flesh. This one of the latest available cherry varieties in commercial production, and the flavour is sweet with balanced acidity.

Timing Stem Colour Avg weight (g) Firmness (desc) Shape
+28 very long red 10.8 firm elongated heart

Staccato

A very late cherry, it ripens after Sweetheart, and a full month after ‘Bing’. It produces a large, sweet, and firm dark cherry with long stems, which is glossy and attractive in a pack. Its size is similar to Sweetheart, with good flavour and sweetness when picked at optimum maturity.

Timing Stem Colour Avg weight (g) Firmness (desc) Shape
+26 long red to dark red 11.1 firm flattened heart

photo courtesy of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Stardust

This is a sweet cherry with cream flesh and skin displaying a bright red blush. Developed in Summerland, BC, it has a flattened heart shape, and is large and firm. It matures after Rainier, extending the season for blush cherries.

Timing Stem Colour Avg weight (g) Firmness (desc) Shape
+12-15 short thick bright red over yellow 11.5 firm flattened heart

Suite Note

Picked at the right moment Suite Note is a dark, very large, firm and delicious cherry. For early markets the potential is great, however it is not widely grown.

Timing Stem Colour Avg weight (g) Firmness (desc) Shape
0 moderately thick dark red 12.6 firm flattened heart

Sweetheart

One of the best of the late cherries from the Summerland breeding program, the Sweetheart is now widely grown around the world. The fruit is round (not heart-shaped), very firm, bright red, and sweet with good flavour. Harvest follows directly after Lapins, through the first two weeks of August.

Timing Stem Colour Avg weight (g) Firmness (desc) Shape
+21 short thick red 9.9 very firm round

Sylvia

Always a pleasant surprise, hiding under a very leafy branch, the Sylvia is usually well protected from the weather and harvests at a very uniform size and shape that looks lovely in the box.

Timing Stem Colour Avg weight (g) Firmness (desc) Shape
+7 very thick dark red to black 10.7 very firm lambert / heart

Tieton™

A very large and very firm early season cherry with a dark red skin, developed at Washington State University.

Timing Stem Colour Avg weight (g) Firmness (desc) Shape
-5-7 thick dark red 12 very firm flattened heart