Common Cherry (Garden Cherry)

Common Cherry (Garden Cherry)
Prunus cerasus L.
Family — Rosaceae

Cherry Description

The common cherry is a shrub or tree, 2–8 m tall, with a wide spherical crown, easily forming thickets with root suckers. The bark of young branches is reddish-brown, older bark is grayish-brown, peeling, with large lenticels. Leaves are alternate, petiolate, elliptical or obovate, 5–12 cm long, 3–5 cm wide, dark green, glossy above, lighter below, crenate-serrate, with 2–4 glands at the base and on the petiole. Flowers are bisexual, white or delicate pink, up to 3 cm, in umbels of 2–5 on long pedicels. Fruits are juicy drupes, 12–15 mm, light or dark red, sweet and sour, with a spherical stone (up to 8 mm), yellowish pulp, purple juice. Common Varieties: 'Montmorency', 'Morello', 'Bing', 'Stella', 'Lapins', 'Rainier'. Flowering in April–May, fruiting in June–July.

 

Habitat and Ecology of Cherry

The homeland of the cherry is the Black Sea coast (Cerasus), originating as an alloploid from the cross between sweet cherry and steppe cherry. Occasionally found in a wild state in the south of the European part of Russia. Cultivated in Europe, Asia, North America, Russia (Center, South, Western Siberia, Central Asia), excluding the Far North and deserts. Prefers loamy soils (pH 6.0–7.0), temperature 15–25 °C, watering 10–15 l/m² once every 7–10 days. Propagated by cuttings, grafting, suckers. Yield: 5–15 kg/tree. Care: pruning, nitrogen fertilization (10–20 g/m²), protection against coccomycosis, moniliosis. Contributes to soil improvement.

 

Cherry Raw Materials

Raw materials: fruits (fructus Cerasi), fruit stalks (stipites Cerasi), leaves (folia Cerasi), gum, flowers, branches. Fruits are harvested in June–July, dried at 50–60 °C (yield 20–25 %). Fruit stalks and leaves are collected in May–July, dried at 30–40 °C (yield 30–40 %). Fruit stalks (4–5 cm long, brown) allow ≤5 % blackened, ≤2 % organic impurities. Gum is collected from the bark. Quality: fruits — dark red, no mold; fruit stalks — brown; leaves — green, moisture ≤12 %. Store in airtight containers (fruits: 1 year; fruit stalks, leaves: 2 years; gum: 3 years). Weak odor, sour-astringent taste.

 

Chemical Composition of Cherry

Fruits: sugars (up to 15 %, glucose, fructose, sucrose), organic acids (malic up to 60 %, citric, tartronic, quinic), vitamins (C up to 30 mg%, B1, B2, B6, PP, folic acid), anthocyanins (cyanidin, mecocyanin), coumarins (up to 3.4 %, mahalebioside, umbelliferone), pectins (up to 0.5 %), catechins, amino acids (lysine, arginine, serine), phenolic acids (chlorogenic), minerals (Fe, K, Mg, P). Skin: catechins, coloring agents. Leaves: rutin (up to 3.75 %), coumarins, citric acid, amygdalin, tannins. Fruit stalks: tannins, salicylates, Fe, Mg. Seeds: fatty oil (25–35 %), amygdalin (0.85 %, poisonous). Gum: araban, xylan. Fruit calorie content: 50–60 kcal/100 g.

 

Action and Application of Cherry

Cherry has diuretic, astringent, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, hemostatic, general tonic, antipyretic, expectorant, and anticonvulsant effects. It is used for anemia, bronchitis, gout, urolithiasis, colitis, hypertension, atherosclerosis, epilepsy, arthritis, jaundice, fever, tonsillitis, stomatitis. Fruits improve appetite, digestion, reduce blood coagulation (coumarins), suppress putrefactive microflora (anthocyanins), and prevent obesity (tartronic acid). Juice and syrup are antipyretic, expectorant, and used for diabetes. Leaves and fruit stalks are used for bleeding, uric acid diathesis, chronic colitis. Gum is an enveloping agent, replacing gum arabic. Branches and roots are used for gastrointestinal disorders, peptic ulcer disease.

 

Precautions for Cherry Use

Seeds (>10 g/day) are toxic due to amygdalin (0.85 %, releasing up to 6 % hydrocyanic acid), causing stomach and heart pain. Avoid tinctures with pits older than 1 year. Consumption of >1 kg/day of fruits or >300 ml/day of juice can cause diarrhea, flatulence. Store juice at 0–5 °C for no longer than 48 hours. Give children under 3 years old ≤50 g/day of fruits. Wash fruits thoroughly due to pesticides.

 

Contraindications for Cherry Use

Peptic ulcer, hyperacid gastritis, diarrhea, flatulence, allergy to Rosaceae, diabetes (with high consumption), tooth decay, acute lung infections.

 

Cherry Recipes

1. Decoction of fruits for bronchitis. Boil 20 g of dried fruits in 400 ml of water for 20 minutes, drink 50–100 ml 2–3 times a day before meals, for 5 days; for children — 1 tsp–1 tbsp.
2. Infusion of fruit stalks for urolithiasis. Pour 200 ml of boiling water over 5–10 g of fruit stalks, let steep for 15 minutes, drink 30 ml 3–4 times a day, for 7 days.
3. Decoction of leaves for jaundice. Boil 10 g of leaves in 200 ml of milk for 10 minutes, drink 50 ml twice a day, for 7 days.
4. Juice for anemia. Drink 100 ml of juice twice a day, for 10 days.
5. Cherry Tincture (Alcohol-free). 500g fresh pitted cherries, 250ml water. Simmer for 15 minutes, strain, and cool. Store in a sealed bottle for up to 1 week in the refrigerator. Drink 50ml daily for general tonic effect.
6. Cherry Syrup for Colds. 500g pitted cherries, 250g sugar, 100ml water, juice of half a lemon. Simmer until sugar dissolves and mixture thickens. Strain and store in a sealed jar. Take 1-2 teaspoons as needed for cough and sore throat.

 

Cherry Cosmetics

Cherry is used for skin care.

1. Moisturizing mask. 20 g of fruit pulp, 10 ml of honey, apply for 15 minutes, rinse, twice a week.
2. Lotion for oily skin. 20 ml of juice, 10 ml of water, wipe the skin, once a day.
3. Skin brightening mask. 20 g of pulp, 10 ml of yogurt, apply for 15 minutes, rinse, twice a week.
4. Compresses for inflammation. Pour 100 ml of boiling water over 10 g of leaves, let steep for 15 minutes, apply for 10 minutes, twice a day.
5. Cherry Facial Scrub. Mix 20g cherry pulp with 1 teaspoon of fine sugar and a few drops of almond oil. Gently exfoliate, then rinse. Use once a week.

 

Cherry Culinary Uses

Fruits are used fresh, dried, in juices, syrups, jams, jellies, compotes, wines, liqueurs. Leaves are used as spices for preservation (mushrooms, cucumbers, cabbage), a tea substitute, and tobacco flavoring. Store fruits at 0–5 °C for up to 3 months, leaves — in airtight containers for up to 2 years.

1. Compote. 200 g of fruits, 1 l of water, 50 g of sugar, boil for 10 minutes.
2. Jam with mint. 1 kg of fruits, 1–1.2 kg of sugar, 150 ml of water, blanch, cook in 3 stages, add 30 g of mint in the 2nd stage, store in jars.
3. Soup. 200 g of fruits (pitted), 1 l of water, 20 g of rice, 20 g of sugar, boil for 15 minutes, serve with sour cream.
4. Leaf tea. Pour 200 ml of boiling water over 5 g of dried leaves, let steep for 10 minutes.
5. Cherry Pie Filling. 500g pitted cherries, 100g sugar, 2 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tsp vanilla extract. Cook until thickened. Use in pies or tarts.
6. Cherry Clafoutis. A classic French dessert. Arrange pitted cherries in a buttered dish, pour a batter made from eggs, flour, sugar, and milk over them, and bake until golden.
7. Cherry Vinaigrette. Blend 1/4 cup pitted cherries with 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Delicious on salads.

 

Other properties of cherry

Used in soap making (seed oil), leather tanning (bark), as a honey plant, for flavoring tobacco (leaves).