Cherries belong to the rose family.
Fruit production starts three to four years after planting. Tree reaches maturity after seven years.
Amazingly delicious, cherry fruit is packed with full of health-benefiting nutrients and unique antioxidants.
Cherries are one of the very low calorie fruits.
Red cherries contain melatonin which helps to fight against harmful toxins. These fruits also contain a high level of antioxidants which are beneficial to the human body.
Cherries are best paired with herbs like sage, chives, and verbena; dairy products like ricotta cheese and sweet cream; and with meats like pork and beef especially when black pepper is added.
Few trees can rival the cherry tree for the beauty of its spring blossoms.
In Japan, cherry blossoms are unofficial national flower, cherries represent beauty, courtesy, modesty, simplicity, spring and innocence.
In Japan, cherry blossoms also symbolize the transience of life, which is a major theme in Buddhism. The cherry blossom tree is known for its short but brilliant blooming season, a natural process that metaphorically describes human life.
The cherry blossom trees are known as “Sakura” in Japanese.
The average life cycle of a cherry tree is about 20 years but some trees have attained age of 2-3 hundred years. However 3 remarkable trees in Japan have reached an amazing age of 1000 years or more.
Three oldest cherry trees in the world:
Miharu Takizakura, Japan – Third oldest Cherry Blossom tree in the World – Age about 1000 years.
Usuzumi Sakura, Japan – Second oldest Cherry Blossom tree in the World – Age about 1500 years.
Jindai Sakura, Japan – Oldest Cherry Blossom tree in the World – Age about 1800-2000 years.
In 1912, Japan gave more than 3,000 cherry blossom trees to the United States as a gift to honor the growing bond between the two countries.
The world’s heaviest cherry was grown by Gerardo Maggipinto (Italy) and weighed 21.69 g (0.76 oz) on 21 June 2003.
The most expensive box of cherries was sold for $35,000 Australian dollars ($31,771 USD, £20,056), by Sydney Markets, (Australia) in conjunction with Variety the Children’s Charity NSW. The box of cherries was bought by Nick Moraitis, (Australia) on 24 October 2007.
Canada holds a record for the biggest cherry pie. The pie weighed 18,000 kg (38,683 pounds).
Once upon a time, serving ice cream on cherry pie in Kansas was prohibited.
Wood of cherry tree has fine structure and it is often used in the manufacture of furniture.