- Cherries started in the areas near the Black and Caspian Seas and Iran, with sour cherries originating further to the east than sweet cherries. According to the University of Georgia (UGA), they spread across Europe via the Romans, who provided sweet cherries to soldiers as part of their food supplies. Sour cherries may have had a similar history, notes UGA.
- Cherries meant for eating out of hand are usually sweet cherries. Sour cherries in the United States are normally sold dried for snacking. Bing and Montmorency are two of the better-known sweet and sour varieties, respectively. Both are used extensively in recipes. Another well-known cherry, the candy-red maraschino cherry, isn't originally that red. They are usually a lighter color and then decolorized further, marinated and dyed.
- Like any fruit, the growing conditions to which the tree is subjected affect the taste, size and yield of each cherry crop. Both sour and sweet cherries ripen in about two to three months, and both spoil rather quickly after being picked. Cherries don't require as much water as trees that bear larger fruit, such as apples, but they aren't that drought-resistant. Over the course of the growing season, the cherries (both sweet and sour) start out as buds, eventually opening up into white blossoms. After the petals drop, the sepals cover the new, small fruit; this stage is known as "in the shuck," according to Michigan State University Extension. The fruits begin to grow, starting out as green and eventually ripening to their normal color.
- Cherries have a role in myths and beliefs, particularly in Asia, where cherries may represent immortality or beauty. Cherries may also represent festivity and merriment, according to the Myths Encyclopedia.
- The Japanese cherry tree is known more for its blossoms and doesn't produce much fruit. When it does, birds usually eat it; it is inedible to humans. However, the blossoms are edible with some preparation.
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