Sweet cherries

Sweet cherries are cherries produced by Prunus avium, the larger, heart-shaped, sweet-fleshed counterpart of sour cherries. They are eaten fresh or in pies and other desserts, used in beverages, and sold dried and canned as well as fresh. Also called geans and mazzards, they range from pale blush to near-black varieties, with darker types generally richer in anthocyanins. Highly perishable and prone to rain cracking and decay, they depend on rapid cooling and careful handling from orchard to consumer. Birds love them too, so orchards rely on netting and deterrents to protect the crop.