With their bright colours and varied flavours, cherries are a summer treat enjoyed by many. Understanding the different cherry varieties helps you choose those best suited to your tastes and your garden. Whether you love organic cherries or are looking for the best varieties to grow, this article gives you the essential information to make an informed choice.
🍒 Cherries at a glance
A complete guide to varieties, growing and uses
📋 The main types
Bigarreau
Firm and crunchy, ideal for eating fresh
Guigne
Soft and juicy, perfect for cooking
Morello (Griotte)
Acidic, excellent for preserves
White cherries
Light flesh, mild and sweet taste
🌳 Growing and care
Full sun required
Well-drained soil essential
Regular watering, especially in the first years
Prune dead branches in winter
Protection against frost and disease
🍽️ Storage and uses
Keeps for up to a week in the fridge. Many uses:
Eating fresh
Baking and desserts
Jams and jellies
Preserves and syrups
💪 Nutritional benefits
Rich in antioxidants, vitamins C and A and potassium. Natural melatonin helps sleep, and they aid muscle recovery.
Bigarreau cherry trees: Bigarreau (firm-fleshed sweet cherries) produce firm, crunchy fruit, often eaten fresh. Bigarreaux are usually sweet and juicy, perfect for fruit salads and desserts.
Guigne cherry trees: Guigne (soft-fleshed sweet cherries) are softer and juicier than Bigarreaux. They are often less sweet and ideal for cooking, especially for jams and baking.
Morello cherry trees: these fruits are small and acidic, and often used for preserves, syrups and liqueurs. The trees are very productive and disease-resistant.
Amarelle cherry trees: Amarelles are similar to Morello cherries but are generally lighter in colour and less acidic. They are perfect for jams and tarts, adding a touch of sweetness to recipes.
White cherries: white cherries, such as the Napoléon variety, have light yellow to white flesh and skin often marbled with red. They are sweet and juicy, excellent eaten fresh or preserved.
Bigarreau cherry trees are highly prized for their firm, crunchy, sweet fruit, perfect for eating fresh. These varieties are often grown for their excellent flavour and because they travel well, which makes them popular with gardeners and growers. Discover the main Bigarreau varieties to enrich your garden and enjoy delicious fruit throughout the season. Most of these trees grown in France are self-fertile. All are deciduous and lose their leaves at the start of winter.
Bigarreau Burlat: Burlat bears dark red, juicy, sweet cherries. Early ripening and good disease resistance.
Bigarreau Summit: large, red, sweet fruit. A very productive variety whose fruit holds well on the tree.
Bigarreau Napoléon: yellow cherries marbled with red, firm and crunchy. Ideal for eating fresh and for preserves.
Bigarreau Moreau: dark red cherries with firm, sweet flesh. Excellent resistance to splitting.
Bigarreau Van: medium-sized, red, juicy fruit. A good balance between acidity and sweetness.
Bigarreau Marmotte: red, firm, crunchy cherries. Good disease resistance and excellent flavour.
Guigne cherry trees produce soft-fleshed fruit, often sweet and juicy. These varieties are particularly prized for their delicate taste and melting texture. Ideal for eating fresh, Guigne are also used in many recipes. Here are some Guigne varieties to enrich your garden and enjoy delicious fruit season after season.
Guigne Noire de Meched: black, juicy, sweet cherries with soft flesh.
Guigne d’Annonay: an heirloom variety with dark red fruit, melting flesh and a very sweet taste.
Guigne Hâtive de Bussy: dark red, very juicy and sweet cherries. Ideal for eating fresh.
Guigne de Cloche: bright red fruit with soft, juicy, sweet flesh.
Guigne Précoce de Worlee: an early variety with red fruit, soft flesh and a mild flavour.
Morello cherry trees
These fruit trees produce acidic fruit, often used for jams, tarts and liqueurs. These varieties are prized for their pronounced taste and acidity, which add a unique touch to cooking. Here are some Morello varieties, ideal for lovers of intensely flavoured fruit.
Griotte de Montmorency: bright red, juicy, tangy cherries. Perfect for jams and desserts. The best Morello cherry in France, with late flowering and abundant blossom that will brighten your orchard.
Griotte du Nord: dark red, very acidic and juicy fruit, ideal for preserves and liqueurs.
Griotte Oblachinskaja: a hardy variety with dark red, very acidic cherries, perfect for syrups and baking.
Griotte de Richmond: bright red, very acidic cherries, used for tarts and sauces.
Griotte de Vladimir: dark red, tangy fruit, excellent for preserves and cooking.
Amarelle cherry trees produce acidic fruit, often used for preserves, jams and baking. These varieties stand out for their soft flesh and moderate acidity, offering a unique flavour that enriches many recipes. Here are some Amarelle varieties, ideal for lovers of well-balanced fruit.
Amarelle Hâtive: light red, tangy, juicy cherries, perfect for preserves and jams.
Amarelle de Provence: bright red, slightly acidic fruit, ideal for tarts and sauces.
Amarelle de Montmorency: a hardy variety with light red, very juicy fruit, perfect for preserves and baking.
Amarelle de Nancy: light red, slightly acidic cherries, used for jams and desserts.
Amarelle de Sannio: bright red, tangy fruit, excellent for preserves and cooking.
White cherries
White cherries stand out for their light colour and mild, sweet taste. In France, they are prized for their juicy flesh and versatility, whether eaten fresh or used in cooking. Here are some white cherry varieties worth knowing.
Napoléon: medium to large fruit with pale yellow skin and pink cheeks, and firm, sweet flesh. See the product page
Trompe Geai: also known as white Bigarreau, this variety produces cherries with pale yellow skin and firm, sweet, juicy flesh. Ideal for eating fresh and for jams. See the product page
Blanc Nez: medium to large fruit with white, slightly pink skin and soft, juicy flesh. Perfect for eating fresh and for desserts. See the product page
Blanche d’Harcigny: an heirloom variety producing creamy white, mild, sweet fruit. Ideal for jams and eating fresh. See the product page
Blanche de Meudon: an heirloom variety producing yellowish-white, mild, juicy fruit.
Blanchette: small white cherries with a sweet taste, perfect for eating fresh.
Royal Ann: medium-sized fruit with pale yellow flesh, sweet and crunchy, often used for preserves.
Cherries are among the most popular fruits for their sweet, juicy flavour. Here is a selection of the best cherry varieties, each with its own advantages and drawbacks, to help you choose the one best suited to your garden or your taste.
Burlat: very popular, this variety bears large, sweet fruit, with superb blossom.
Advantages: good productivity and early ripening.
Drawbacks: susceptible to certain diseases.
Reine Hortense: known for its large fruit and soft flesh.
Advantages: excellent flavour.
Drawbacks: needs good pollination.
Napoléon: this variety produces firm, crunchy cherries.
Advantages: keeps well and travels well.
Drawbacks: susceptible to certain diseases.
Summit: renowned for its large, red, sweet fruit.
Advantages: high productivity and good disease resistance.
Drawbacks: needs regular pruning for good cropping.
Van: a late variety with firm, juicy fruit.
Advantages: keeps well and resists cracking.
Drawbacks: needs cross-pollination for best cropping.
Bigarreau Moreau: prized for its crunchy, sweet fruit.
Advantages: very good taste and travels well.
Drawbacks: average productivity.
Cœur de Pigeon: an heirloom variety with red, sweet fruit.
Advantages: good flavour.
Drawbacks: irregular cropping.
Géant d’Hedelfingen: produces large, juicy, sweet cherries.
Advantages: very good taste and large fruit.
Drawbacks: susceptible to disease.
Bigarreau Noir de Meched: a late-flowering variety with dark, flavourful fruit.
Advantages: excellent flavour.
Drawbacks: susceptible to disease.
Guigne d’Annonay: ideal for jams and desserts.
Advantages: adapts well to different climates.
Drawbacks: soft flesh that bruises easily.
To discover more cherry varieties and buy certified organic trees, see our cherry trees section at Terra’Terre Nursery. You will find a selection suited to your needs.
Growing Cherry Trees
To grow these fruit trees and ensure a healthy, abundant crop, follow these essential steps, from planting to care.
Choosing the spot: plant your trees in a sunny spot with well-drained soil. Avoid areas prone to late frosts.
Planting: dig a wide, deep hole for the roots. Mix compost into the soil you dug out before backfilling. Water thoroughly after planting.
Care: water regularly, especially in the first years. Mulch around the tree to retain moisture and reduce weeds.
Pruning: cut out dead or diseased branches in winter. Keep an open structure to improve air circulation and reduce the risk of disease.
Flowering: cherry trees are among the plants that flower fairly early
Foliage: the foliage is deciduous, which means the trees lose their leaves at the start of winter.
Position: in your orchard, cherry trees are best planted in full sun.
Feeding: apply a balanced fertiliser in early spring to support growth and fruit production.
Pest control: regularly check for signs of pests such as aphids and fruit flies. Use organic treatments or traps if necessary.
Harvest: pick the cherries when they are fully coloured and come away easily. Handle them gently to avoid damage.
For more advice on growing cherry trees, discover our advice blog at Terra’Terre Nursery.
Harvesting and Storing Cherries
Harvest: pick them when they are well coloured and come away easily from the stalk. To avoid damaging the fruit, pick them with the stalk intact.
Storing fresh fruit: after harvesting, keep them in a cool place. They will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Freezing: for longer storage, wash and dry them, then spread them on a tray to freeze them individually before putting them into freezer bags.
Processing: cherries can be made into jams, jellies or compotes, or preserved in alcohol, to extend their life and enjoy their taste all year round.
Drying: dry cherries in a dehydrator or in the oven at a low temperature to make dried cherries, ideal for snacks or baking.
The Nutritional Benefits of Cherries
Rich in antioxidants: they contain anthocyanins and flavonoids, powerful antioxidants that help reduce inflammation and fight free radicals.
Source of vitamins: they are an excellent source of vitamins C and A, which help strengthen the immune system and maintain good eye health.
Better sleep: cherries, especially sour varieties, are rich in natural melatonin, a hormone that regulates the sleep cycle.
Heart health: thanks to their potassium content, they help regulate blood pressure and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Aids muscle recovery: cherries can help reduce muscle pain after intense exercise thanks to their anti-inflammatory properties.
Eating and Using Cherries
Eating fresh: they are delicious eaten fresh, straight after picking. Sweet and juicy, they make a perfect summer snack.
Tarts and cakes: they can be used in many baking recipes, such as cherry tarts, clafoutis and cakes. Their sweet, slightly tangy taste adds flavour to desserts.
Jams and jellies: turning cherries into jams and jellies is an excellent way to enjoy their flavour all year round. They can also be used as a topping for crêpes or pancakes.
Dried cherries: they can be dried and eaten as a snack or added to cereals, salads and baking. Dried cherries are a sweet, healthy alternative to sweets.
Drinks: they can also be used to make refreshing drinks such as cherry juice, smoothies and cocktails, adding a fruity, colourful touch.
To sum up the cherry family
In short, there is a great variety of cherries, each with its own characteristics and uses. Whether you love crunchy cherries such as Bigarreau, soft-fleshed ones such as Guigne, or sour ones for cooking, there is something for every taste. By growing organic trees in your orchard, you help protect the environment while enjoying flavourful, nutritious fruit. What’s more, the cherry tree is one of those plants whose flowers are also ornamental. To learn more about the different cherry varieties and choose the one best suited to your garden, explore our collection of cherry trees at Terra’Terre Nursery.
Bigarreau cherry trees
