Our Cherry Varieties

Origin: T.K. Toyama, Irrigated Research and Extension Centre, Washington State University, Prosser, Washington, U.S.A.
Fruit size: Medium for season.
Shape: Rounded to heart-shaped.
Skin: Dark red to mahogany. Glossy. Susceptible to cracking.
Flesh: Dark red. Firm, juicy.
Flavour: Good, sweet.
Blossom: Mid-season. Possibly with ‘Chelan’, ‘Bing’, ‘Van’, ‘Early Burlat’, ‘Merchant’.
Pollination: Self-fertile.
Cropping: Light to Medium.
Tree habit: Vigorous. Upright, spreading.
Maturity: Estimated -4 days ‘Bing’.
Comments: A self-fertile cherry with an attractive appearance and a very good flavour. New to Australia. Best for eating fresh.

Origin: K. O. Lapins and W. D. Lane, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Summerland Research Centre, Summerland, Canada. 1983.
Fruit size: Large. Optimum size and quality of this cultivar are obtained in the last week to ten days before harvest. Fruit should be left on tree until dark red to mahogany skin colour is achieved.
Shape: Rounded to heart-shaped.
Skin: Dark red to mahogany at maturity.
Flesh: Red. Firm, juicy.
Flavour: Good.
Blossom: Early season.
Pollination: Self-fertile.
Cropping: Precocious, bearing good crops. Tends to bear on young wood. Renewal pruning is recommended to obtain consistent crops of good quality fruit. Fruit tends to crop in large, tight clusters.
Tree habit: Upright, vigorous. Produces spurs readily. Can have bare wood if allowed to be too upright and vigorous. Overseas reports indicating caution should be used if planting with dwarfing rootstocks.
Maturity: Estimated +10 days 'Bing'.
Comments: A late maturing cherry with a bright appearance. Excellent fruit size, firmness and taste, if picked at the dark red to mahogany stage. ‘Lapins’ is renowned as being one of the Summerland Research Station’s best split-resistant cherries.

Origin: Zaiger Genetics Inc.
Fruit size: Large.
Skin: Mahogany.
Flesh: Red.
Maturity: USA estimates that this cultivar matures approximately 7 days after 'Bing' along with 'Royal Helen'.
Comments: Overseas reports suggest that US growers plant 'Royal Edie' and 'Royal Helen' together for pollination purposes but with the added advantage that these two cultivars are very similar and can be packed out together. In some cases the tree of 'Royal Edie' can produce doubles but this is compensated by excellent pack outs. 'Royal Edie' is reported to produce glossy mahogany coloured fruit and is appearing to perform well in both low and high chill districts. However these and other characteristics are under evaluation in Australian conditions at this stage.

Origin: Zaiger Genetics Inc.
Fruit size: Large.
Skin: Red.
Flesh: Red.
Maturity: USA estimates that this cultivar matures approximately 7 days after 'Bing' along with 'Royal Helen'.
Comments: Overseas reports suggest that US growers plant 'Royal Edie' and 'Royal Helen' together for pollination purposes but with the added advantage that these two cultivars are very similar and can be packed out together. In some cases the tree of 'Royal Edie' can produce doubles but this is compensated by excellent pack outs. 'Royal Edie' is reported to produce glossy mahogany coloured fruit and is appearing to perform well in both low and high chill districts. However these and other characteristics are under evaluation in Australian conditions at this stage.

Origin: Agriculture Canada, Summerland Research Station, Summerland, Canada. 1968.
Fruit size: Medium to large for season.
Shape: Heart-shaped.
Skin: Red to dark red. Loses its sheen when over-mature. Susceptible to cracking, which is minimised with heavy cropping. Can soften quickly after harvest, requires good management.
Flesh: Dark red flesh. Moderately firm, medium-coarse texture.
Flavour: Good.
Blossom: Mid-season.
Pollination: Self-fertile. Universal pollen donor.
Cropping: Precocious. In some areas young trees tend to self-thin. Mature trees produce large crops in heavy clusters.
Tree habit: Very vigorous. Upright and spreading.
Maturity: Estimated -3 days ‘Bing’.
Comments: One of the first commercial self-fertile cherries bred. A reliable performer, proven over a number of years. Very attractive fruit. Great for pick your own cherries due to heavy cropping.

Origin: A. J. Mann, Agriculture Canada, Summerland Research Station, Summerland, Canada. 1944.
Fruit size: Medium to large for season. Becomes smaller on overloaded trees and can be variable.
Shape: Round-square.
Skin: An attractive red with a bright lustre. Moderate sensitivity to cracking. Can suffer from wind damage at red stage.
Flesh: Red. Firm, juicy, good quality.
Flavour: Excellent, sweet.
Stone: Small.
Blossom: Mid-season, with 'Bing'.
Pollination: Possibly ‘Stella’, ‘Rainier’, ‘Bing’, ‘Early Burlat’, ‘Summit’, ‘Sunburst’, ‘Ulster’. Reported to be incompatible with ‘Venus’, ‘Sonnet’, SambaTM, ‘Lala Star’, ‘Cristalina’, ‘Regina’.
Cropping: Very precocious and productive, heavy annual bearer. Tends to form tight clusters around branches.
Tree habit: Vigorous, upright-spreading. Requires renewal pruning as tree ages to maintain tree vigour, regulate cropping and increase fruit size.
Maturity: Estimated -3 days ‘Bing’.
Comments: Attractive. A good quality, dark cherry with a short stem.

Origin: S. Lewelling, Oregon, U.S.A. 1875
Fruit size: Medium to large for season.
Shape: Heart-shaped.
Skin: Dark red with an attractive lustre. Susceptible to cracking in some conditions.
Flesh: Juicy. Firm red flesh and red juice.
Flavour: Sweet.
Estimated Chill units: 700
Blossom: Mid-season. With ‘Van'.
Pollination: Possibly ‘Stella’, ‘Early Burlat’, ‘Van’, ‘Chelan’. Reported to be incompatible with ‘Lambert’, ‘Somerset’, ‘Ulster’, ‘Kristin’.
Cropping: Moderate.
Tree habit: Upright, spreading. Vigorous.
Maturity: Bing is used as the guide for all cherries in Australia. Mid-season.
Comments: The main cultivar grown in the U.S.A., 'Bing' has proven to be an excellent, firm, sweet cherry in areas suited to its production in Australia. A good export cherry.

Origin: P. Matthews, John Innes Institute, Hertford, Norwich, U.K.
Fruit size: Medium to large for season.
Shape: Rounded heart-shape.
Skin: Attractive dark red. Shiny.
Flesh: Red. Moderate firmness, juicy. Handles well.
Flavour: Excellent, sweet well-balanced flavour. Consumer acceptance is excellent when fruit is allowed to fully mature.
Blossom: Mid-season.
Pollination: Possibly ‘Stella’, ‘Ron’s Seedling’, ‘Index’, ‘Early Burlat’. Incompatible with Grace Star. Genotype S4S9.
Cropping: Good. Consistent. Uneven maturity. Fruit hangs on tree well which increases fruit size, improves flavour and lessens the problem of uneven maturity.
Tree habit: Spreading, upright. Vigorous with good branching.
Maturity: Estimated -18 days ‘Bing’.
Comments: Proven to be an attractive, reliable cultivar with good size and flavour. Widely accepted in the market place.

Origin: W. D. Lane, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Summerland Research Centre, Summerland, Canada.
Fruit size: Large, if not allowed to overcrop.
Shape: Round to heart-shape.
Skin: Dark red to mahogany. Moderately resistant to cracking.
Flesh: Red. Juicy. High quality with good firmness. Dense texture.
Flavour: Very good. Sweet.
Blossom: Early season. Possibly with ‘Ron’s Seedling’, ‘Sumtare’ syn. Sweetheart, ‘Lapins’, ‘Chelan’, ‘Early Burlat’.
Pollination: Possibly self-fertile.
Cropping: Precocious. As tree ages, crop control may be necessary.
Tree habit: Semi-compact with dense foliage. Upright.
Maturity: Estimated +8 days 'Bing'.
Comments: A large and well-flavoured cherry. A consistent cropper with excellent potential.