Cherries and sweet cherries are plants of the same species; their fruits have much in common. Therefore, many people have a question: “What is their difference and which berry is healthier?”

Composition and distinctive features of cherries

Sweet cherry is one of the varieties of cherries. It differs from it in its heat-loving nature and early fruiting. Cherry fruits are large, sweet, and depending on the variety they can be yellow, pink, or dark red.

Cherry fruits are round, smaller in size than cherries, rich red or dark crimson in color, sweet and sour in taste, very juicy. Both berries are suitable not only for fresh consumption, they are also suitable for making juices, desserts, compotes, alcoholic drinks, and storing for the winter. But cherry jam, unlike cherry jam, is not very popular, as it turns out to be too sweet.

Cherry fruits are not only tasty, but also healthy. The properties of any product, fruit or vegetable depend on its vitamin and mineral composition.

Vitamins are substances necessary for all living organisms. They provide vital processes, affect well-being and appearance.

Micro- and macroelements are biologically important substances that take part in the biochemical processes of the body. They influence development, growth, hematopoiesis, and with their help necessary substances are synthesized. Both berries contain valuable elements and vitamins, but differ in their quantitative composition. Because of this, their effect on the body may be different.

Name	Amount in mg
C (ascorbic acid)	15	15
PP (nicotinic acid)	0.5	0,5
B6 (pyridoxine)	0.05	—
B1 (thiamine)	0.03	0.01
E (alpha tocopherol)	0.3	0,3
B2 (riboflavin)	0.03	0.01
β-carotene	0.1	0.15
B5 (pantothenic acid)	0.08	—
B9 (folic acid)	0,06	—
A (retinol)	0,017	0,025
N (biotin)	0.0004	—

Name	Amount in mg
Potassium	256	233
Calcium	37	33
Phosphorus	30	28
Magnesium	26	24
Sodium	20	13
Chlorine	8	—
Sulfur	6	—
Iron	0.5	1,8
Zinc	0.15	—
Bor	0,125	—
Copper	0,1	—
Manganese	0.08	—
Rubidium	0,077	—
Vanadium	0,025	—
Nickel	0,015	—
Fluorine	0,013	—
Chromium	0,007	—
Molybdenum	0,003	—
Iodine	0,002	—
Cobalt	0,001	—

Cherries and sweet cherries are low-calorie foods. When fresh, these berries have the same calorie content - 52 kcal. Calories are distributed as follows:

The tables show that the vitamin and mineral composition of cherries is richer. And considering that the sugar content in it is two times less than in cherries, it will more useful to people prone to obesity and suffering from diabetes.

Cherry fruits, especially tart varieties, contain melatonin, a hormone that normalizes the functioning of the endocrine system, maintains cholesterol within normal limits, has an antidepressant effect, and improves sleep.

Cherries contain a sufficient amount of anthocyanins - substances that give a rich red color and astringency. Anthocyanins reduce inflammatory reactions and help treat many diseases.

In addition, its fruits and leaves contain phytoncides - natural bioactive substances that suppress the development of pathogenic microbes.

Useful properties and contraindications

Each fruit or berry has beneficial properties and also has contraindications. They are similar in cherries and cherries. Consumption of these berries:

Being a low-calorie product with a low sucrose content, cherries are recommended to be included in the diet of people who are trying to lose extra pounds. The fiber in berries allows you to feel full for a long time.

Fresh cherries and cherry juice are beneficial for many diseases. They are given to the patient to improve appetite, for bronchitis, sleep disorders, and arthritis. Regular consumption of cherries blocks the development of cancer cells. Our ancestors used cherry decoction to treat mental disorders and epilepsy.

Cherries are contraindicated:

• people with chronic diseases of the digestive tract during exacerbation;
• with ulcers or gastritis with high acidity;
• when an allergic reaction occurs.

An allergy to cherries or their juice is usually manifested by shortness of breath, choking, and urticaria. When similar symptoms you should consult a doctor.

Due to the high content of organic acids, eating cherries can cause damage to tooth enamel. Therefore, after eating it is better to rinse your mouth. Sweet cherries have no such contraindications. It does not increase acidity in the stomach and does not cause heartburn. But consuming it in large quantities leads to bloating.

During periods of exacerbation of chronic stomach diseases, it is better to consume not fresh cherries, but their juice. If necessary, it can be diluted with water.

People prone to diarrhea should not overuse cherries.

What Cherries are healthier or cherry - everyone must answer for themselves based on the characteristics and needs of their body. Both of these berries have beneficial features and some contraindications that also need to be taken into account.

What is the difference between cherries and sweet cherries? This question arises when looking at such very similar berries, especially if they are presented in all their abundance on the markets in the spring-summer season.

Description of cherries

Cherries are one of the most favorite delicacies of most people on the planet; the berries are suitable for consumption in any form. And what kind of jams, preserves and compotes are made from them, you will lick your fingers! Of course: the juicy, tasty pulp of the fresh fruit will not leave anyone indifferent. In addition, these berries are a natural medicine and have antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties.

Cherry and sweet cherry orchards in their snow-white blossoms are stunning with their elegance and solemnity; such beauty gave rise to the appearance of a large number of beautiful songs in folk art.

What is the difference between cherries and sweet cherries?

These berries are often confused due to their external similarity. Therefore, let’s try to understand how cherries differ from sweet cherries.

The cherry tree is characterized by a significant height, which, as a rule, varies from 2 to 6 meters, and gray-brown bark. While the bark of the cherry tree is reddish-brown. With sufficient height (comparable to the height of the cherry), cherries are characterized by a high straight trunk ( aboveground part trunk until the first branch).

Sweet cherry, unlike cherries, is a heat-loving tree, for the most part it is distributed in southern regions Russia, is characterized by a horizontal root system and an ovoid crown.

Territory of distribution of cherries and sweet cherries

Cherry trees grow almost throughout the entire territory of Russia, are characterized by resistance to cold and have been known since ancient times. It is a known fact that after the victory over King Mithridates, the Roman commander Lucullus took a cherry tree with him from Crimea as a trophy. Cherry has been cultivated in Russia for quite a long time; the first mention of it was found in works dating back to 1657. The most famous varieties of this tree were bred in the Vladimir region.

Cherry and sweet cherry leaves also differ. Green (from light to dark), jagged along the edges, in cherries they are an order of magnitude larger in size.

Fruits: distinctive characteristics

The difference between cherries and sweet cherries also occurs in the characteristics of the fruit. In cherries they are sweet, juicy, fleshy, and have different colors (yellow, brown, red). The most pronounced taste is manifested when consumed fresh. In canned cherries, as a separate independent product, it is practically found because it is tasteless. It is preferable to use it in compotes and desserts as an addition.

Cherry fruits are rich red (less often closer to brown), characterized by juicy pulp, and have a pronounced sourness, which gives the taste a special charm.

The benefits of cherries and cherries

What is healthier: cherries or sweet cherries? Compared to cherries, cherry fruits are less rich in calories, but have a significant supply of carotene and vitamin C. Also, cherry berries contain a large amount of easily digestible sugars, potassium salts, cobalt, and pectin substances, thanks to which its consumption is an excellent preventive method against anemia.

Cherry ranks second after oranges in its ability to rid the body of excess cholesterol and harmful foods, so its consumption is useful for atherosclerosis, obesity, and inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, what is healthier, cherries or cherries, is up to the consumer to decide. However, if both berries are available, then you should not refuse them.

It is considered one of the most delicious desserts, and cherry juice has a large number of fans on the planet. A delicious and delicious brew is made from cherry tree branches. healthy tea, and the leaves are used in preservation to enrich the marinade with a richer taste. During its flowering period, cherries are an excellent honey plant.

Tree diseases

Varieties of cherries, sweet cherries, like most fruit trees, susceptible various diseases. So, coccomycosis - fungal disease- completely deprives the tree of foliage, greatly weakening it. As a preventive measure, it is recommended to spray tree buds with Azofos fungicide before they bloom. If the trees are already affected by such a disease, then the diseased leaves need to be treated with urea to prevent further spread of the infection.

Unlike cherries, coccomycosis does not affect cherries, but this does not mean that the tree is not in danger. It has another enemy - curl, which deforms the leaves, which leads to poor fruiting. In order to prevent the development of the disease, affected leaves and shoots must be pruned and burned.

So, let's summarize. What is the difference between cherries and sweet cherries?

1. Unlike sweet cherries, cherries can be either a tree or a shrub.
2. Cherries have a sour taste, while cherries have a sweet taste.
3. When preserved, the taste qualities are most pronounced in cherries.
4. Unlike cherries, cherries are more resistant to cold weather.
5. Sweet cherries have larger leaves than sour cherries.
6. Cherries are juicy, cherries are fleshy.

Cherry and cherry seedlings can be distinguished externally: cherry seedlings are smoother and taller. Caring for both types of trees involves timely, regular watering, fertilizing, loosening and pest control.

Characteristics of the most popular varieties of cherries

• Bing. It is characterized by large, sweet, round berries. The pulp has a dark purple color with a dark, almost black peel of ripe berries.
• Melitopol black. Belongs to late-ripening varieties; The average weight of the berry is 8 grams, the taste is sweet with a slight sourness. The variety is characterized by resistance to cold and disease.

Tyutchevka. It is considered one of the most delicious varieties, rated 4.9 points on a 5-point system. The pulp of the berries is dense, rich, and the taste is sweet. Disease resistance and winter hardiness are average.

Characteristics of the most popular cherry varieties

• Turgenevka. The result of the painstaking work of breeders, producing fruits weighing about 5-6 grams of sweet and sour taste. The trees are often tall, up to 3 meters, have straight long shoots and gray-brown bark. The variety is characterized by disease resistance, the berry pulp is dense and sweet, and is highly resistant to coccomycosis.
• Chernokorka. Perhaps the most popular variety cherries are characterized by large, dark burgundy fruits, the pit is easily separated from the pulp. Average weight each - 4.5-5 grams. The peduncle is long, firmly attached to the fruit; for this reason, the berries, even when fully ripe, do not fall off the tree. Ripening occurs in June-July.
• Sania. tall tree early date maturation. The crown is wide and rounded. The fruits weigh 3.7 grams, dark red color, sweet and sour taste. You can collect up to 12 kilograms of fragrant ripe cherries from a tree.

Cherries and sweet cherries are tasty and healthy fruits. Eating two types of berries will enrich human body vitamins and minerals. What is the difference between cherries and sweet cherries? These two cultures are often confused, because in reality they are very similar. Americans call cherries “sweet cherry,” which means “sweet cherry,” and the cherry itself is simply “cherry.” Both trees, on which the juicy berries are located, are similar in appearance.

Description of cherries

Many people believe that cherry is a tree. There are varieties that can be classified shrub plants. Cherries grow wild in central Europe, and their fruits have been eaten since ancient times. In turn, breeders began to develop new varieties that differ from each other in taste and size.

The cherry tree grows up to six meters high, the bark has a dark brown tint. Leaf blade small sizes, pointed at the ends. The green leaves have small teeth and emit a spicy smell. It blooms in early summer, abundantly decorating the entire tree with white inflorescences. The fruits from the cherry tree are bright red in color. The pulp is juicy, sweet and sour in taste, depending on the type. The tree is frost-resistant and is grown in almost all regions of our country.

Cherry is a heat-loving plant and grows only in the southern part of Russia. The plant grows up to thirty meters. The tree bark ranges from brown to silver in color. The crown has an ovoid shape. The leaves are large and pointed. The tree trunk is straight and tall. It begins to bloom in spring, the first fruits can be found in early summer. Depending on the variety, the fruits are yellow, red, or brown.

Interesting! Cherry fruits are juicy and sweet and are consumed both raw and frozen. They don’t make jam from it; it tastes too sweet.

Difference between fruits

The external description of these two cultures has common features. Depending on the species, they may have the same leaf shape, bark color and fruit.

Explaining to children how to distinguish cherries from sweet cherries is very simple. In addition to similar characteristics, these two plants have peculiar differences:

1. The cherry bark has a more round shape, while the crown of its relative is ovoid.
2. The cherry is taller and has a cone shape.
3. The color of the leaves is also different: cherries have a dark green color, while cherries have a silvery tint. Cherry leaves have a spicy aroma and are used as a seasoning in cooking.
4. These two plants differ in the placement of leaves and fruits. Cherries have berries arranged in pairs. The leaf blade of the cherry tree is lowered down; on the contrary, the cherry tree grows evenly and straight.
5. Cherry fruits come in three colors, while cherry berries come in only red color.
6. Cherries contain acids; sweet cherries do not.
7. The sweet cherry ripens earlier, and the cherries follow suit.

There are a huge number of berries on store shelves and markets. How to distinguish them when purchasing? First of all, you need to decide for what purpose they are needed:

1. For the filling of pies, you should pay attention to cherries; for dessert, it is better to buy cherries.
2. The color of the cherry is uniform; there may be two colors on the cherry that smoothly transition into each other.
3. Cherries are soft to the touch; when lightly pressed, red juice is released; cherries, on the contrary, are dense and the juice is white. Red fruits have slightly pink flesh.
4. Sweet cherries have larger berries.

Both fruits are very tasty and healthy, saturating the body with vitamins and minerals.

Interesting! The calorie content of both crops is 50 calories per 100 grams.

Beneficial properties of fruits

Previously, these two trees were considered one plant. The sweeter fruits were called cherries, while the sour ones were called cherries. It was only in the 19th century that they began to be separated as two separate trees. Which is healthier? By chemical composition the berries are almost identical. The benefits of eating these fruits are enormous. In terms of vitamins, they are practically the same; ascorbic and nicotinic acid are present in large quantities. Strengthens the immune system and is used in the treatment of colds.

The fruit contains iron, which in turn is useful for anemia. Eating fruits reduces cholesterol in the blood and also normalizes blood pressure. It has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the heart and strengthens blood vessels. Berries are recommended for diseases of the kidneys and genitourinary system. Eating berries has a diuretic effect and is recommended for urolithiasis. Obese people are advised to eat several berries before meals; they improve metabolism. Strengthens the nervous system, improves brain function.

Use delicious berries helps with diseases such as gout, pancreatitis, prostatitis. Recommended for people suffering from seasonal allergies, thanks to cyanidin and quercetin it reduces symptoms and completely eliminates the disease. Berries strengthen the nervous system and help cope with daily stress.

It should be used with caution if you have stomach problems. The acid present in berries can destroy tooth enamel. The pit contains hydrocyanic acid, which can cause serious harm to the body.

Interesting! Cherries are also called “bird berries”; birds, namely starlings, often feast on them.

It’s hard to say which is better between the two berries; it all depends on individual preferences. Those who have a sweet tooth will like cherries, but cherries great option for those who prefer sweet and sour taste.

Explaining the difference between two plants is not difficult if you understand biological characteristics each of them. Experienced gardeners quickly distinguish them. Once you plant at least one of the trees, you will never confuse them. Berries are an excellent addition to the daily menu; they will enrich the body with useful substances. Desserts are prepared from them, baked goods are added, fruit drinks and compotes are made, as well as delicious juices.

According to their own biological features sweet cherry is one of the 150 species of cherries that exist on the globe. Only in Slavic languages ​​there are separate names for cherries and cherries. In all other languages ​​(German, French, English, etc.), cherries do not have their own name, but are called sweet cherries. Our regular cherry is called sour cherry in these languages.

As analyzes and studies show, cherry fruits also resemble cherries. There is as much vitamin C in sweet cherries as in cherries, and vitamin P is more abundant in dark varieties. Therefore, dark-colored varieties of cherries provide a therapeutic dose, for example, for hypertension, already with the consumption of 250-300 grams of fruit.

It is typical that watery and unripe fruits are much poorer in vitamins. It is not advisable to pick unripe cherries, because picking them too early sometimes reduces the healing power of cherry fruits by 1.5-2 times.

Experience shows that sweet cherries are always held in higher esteem than sour cherries. And this is natural. Just like strawberries in the north, cherries in the south open the fruit season. At the same time, cherries are more productive, the fruits are much larger, incomparably tastier and more transportable than cherries, and their production is always profitable. Cherries are used mainly for fresh consumption, but some varieties produce delicious compotes and even juices.

However, cherries are southern fruit crop, is very demanding of heat and often suffers from frost: not only crops, but also trees die. Thanks to the creation of new varieties that are more winter-hardy, cherries began to move further north, especially in collective and household gardens.

Cherry reaches 6-8, and individual trees, especially in the south, reach 12-15 meters in height; It has a clearly defined trunk and a sparse round-pyramidal crown. Depending on agricultural technology and variety, it begins to bear fruit in the 4th-5th year. The fruits are placed mainly on perennial bouquet branches. The yield of trees is quite high: from 20-35 kg to 100-150 and even more. The lifespan of cultivated cherry trees is up to 20-25 years, and wild forms - up to 50 years or more.

Cultivated varieties of cherries originated from one wild species, the so-called bird cherry, which grows in the forests of Southern, Western and Central Europe, Iran, Asia Minor, and North Africa. Has small and almost no edible fruits: some trees are sweetish, others are extremely bitter. Wild cherries are one of the ancestors of ordinary cherries. It is widely used as a rootstock for cultivated cherries, and sometimes for cherries.

Sweet cherries entered the culture a very long time ago, in the 10th-11th centuries, and possibly earlier. This is evidenced by the bones found during excavations. Sweet cherries have undergone and are undergoing extensive selective selection and now have many highly valuable varieties and hybrids. Special attention in many countries they are turning to cherry-cherry hybrids, the so-called “cherries”, which have the properties of both cherries and cherries, are quite frost-resistant and can be grown much further north than cherries.

Wild cherries are unpretentious to growing conditions, while cultivated cherries require careful care, especially the fight against cherry flies, the larvae of which damage the fruits. However cultivars According to the growing conditions, sweet cherry is practically no heavier than apple, pear or plum trees. Trees grow on almost all soils and are not flooded with water, but cherry especially loves sandy loam and places protected from cold winds and well-lit. Therefore, in collective and personal gardens it should be planted on the south side of buildings and other structures.

Cherries and cherries belong to the same botanical family, Rosaceae. Before understanding their differences from each other, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with each culture separately.

We will look at the origin of the varieties, the differences in growing each crop, and their beneficial properties.

Origin of varieties

All existing varieties Cherries are descended from bird cherries growing wild. Its homeland is Europe and Asia Minor.

Most of the cherry varieties come from wild species:

• Red-fruited;
• Ordinary;
• Glandular.

Depending on the crop variety, berries ripen in different terms. Based on the color of the fruit, varieties are divided into two types:

• the species includes varieties with light red berries;
• All varieties with dark red berries are classified as ordinary cherries.

Modern varieties of common cherries are derived from crossing sweet cherries with wild cherries. Many varieties of sweet cherries can cross with sour cherries and serve as the best pollinators for them. Pollination of sweet cherry with common cherry forms - Duke.

With distant crossing, cherry pollen is not productive enough. Cold weather during the flowering period has a very detrimental effect on it. The result of this may be a lack of fruit in the garden. Planting near a cherry orchard will help correct the situation. self-fertile varieties crops

Growing cherries

Favorable places for cherries to grow are southern latitudes with a warm climate.

You need to pay attention to this fact when choosing a seat on your home site.

It is better to plant a tree on a hill, on the south side of the building. Good warming by sunlight helps regular flowering and the fruiting of the tree. A mandatory requirement is a protective planting of fast-growing shrubs or trees around the cherry tree. It is planted together with the planting of the seedling in a permanent place.

Planting seedlings in the garden better in spring. Given that the tree is large and fast-growing, it will require a large area in five years. Cherry does not like a lot of water, so the place where it grows should not have swampy or waterlogged soil. High groundwater is very dangerous for trees.

Note: Cherry is not a completely self-fertile crop, but it is inter-pollinating. It is not necessary to plant the same varieties nearby. Cherries of any variety growing even in a neighboring yard can provide full pollination.

Cherry growing

The tree has a spherical crown and a height of about 6-7 m. The common cherry is self-sterile, so to obtain a harvest it is necessary to plant a pollinator tree near it. All types and varieties are divided into two subspecies, differing in the color of the fruit juice:

• Moreli - a berry with a dark cherry color of juice;
• Amoreli is a berry with a light or slightly pinkish juice color.

According to the ripening of fruits, there are 3 types:

• early;
• average;
• late.

The culture is unpretentious in cultivation, although it has its own characteristics. The tree begins to bear fruit at 3-4 years old, but a full harvest can be harvested from a 6-7 year old tree. The form of the crop is bushy and tree-like. The bush cherry produces a lot of root shoots. The fruiting branches are not durable and die quickly. The main branches of the tree's skeleton quickly remain bare without bark.

Take note: cherry tolerates slight shade painlessly, but exposure to a large amount of light has a beneficial effect on taste qualities fruits

The tree is not picky about soil. Roots develop well in any soil, the main thing is that the groundwater level lies no higher than 1.5 m from the surface. Unlike others fruit trees, cherry is the most resistant to severe frosts and is capable of restoring damaged wood.

Growing Duke

Many years ago, in old orchards, cherry trees were grown together with sweet cherries. Natural cross-pollination of crops created a hybrid called Duke.

Later they started withdrawing different varieties Dyukov, but they were not winter hardy. Different sets of chromosomes often created low-yielding or sterile hybrids. Cherry seedlings obtained from such pollination are similar to cherry shoots. Their fruits are large in size and have a sweet taste.

The Dukes only adopted from their ancestors good qualities and didn’t take anything bad. Duke fruits are much larger than cherries and can reach 10 g. The berries taste sweet and more endowed organic acids than cherry fruits. Duke leaves are similar to cherry ones, only slightly larger.

Good to know: The flowering time of the Dukes falls during the flowering period of cherries, so they need a specific pollinator. Full pollination of Dukes occurs in large gardens with different varieties of cherries.

Choosing a place to plant a Duke seedling is similar to choosing a place for a cherry tree. The tree loves fertile soil with a neutral pH and a two-meter groundwater level from the surface of the earth. It is advisable to protect the Duke's planting site from winds according to the principle of protecting cherries.

Differences between cultures

Cherries are sweet and contain more pulp than juice. The cherry fruit is less aromatic with a higher content of fruit acid.

It is difficult for an untrained eye to distinguish the berries by appearance. It is easier to distinguish fruits by color:

• depending on the variety, cherries are burgundy, yellow or red;
• Cherry fruits have rich bright red shades.

The berries of both crops improve the functioning of the cardiovascular system, improve appetite, and remove cholesterol from the body. A large number of vitamins increase vigor. The substances contained in the composition prevent the proliferation of cancer cells. With the help of a fasting diet with cherries, lovers of weight loss cleanse the body.

Cherry juice has antibacterial properties and lowers fever. The seeds are used to treat kidneys, but when stored for a long time, they produce a harmful substance - hydrocyanic acid. Cherry seeds do not produce poison, and the fruit is endowed with analgesic properties.

The difference between the berries can be seen in the contraindications for use. Cherry fruits should not be eaten by people with diseases of the stomach, pancreas or bladder. But still cherry is more healthy berry, especially for heart patients (what exactly are the benefits and harms of cherries, read ours). Eating fruits is useful for preventing heart attacks, the formation of blood clots and strengthening the walls of blood vessels.

For freezing berries freezer It's better to use cherries. After thawing, cherry berries become very sour, and the juicy pulp spreads out.

It is best to cook, preserve and produce wine. The product is aromatic and sour. Cherries are cloyingly sweet and do not go well without adding other berries to the canning process.

The leaves of the tree are used to pickle vegetables. Only cherry leaves are suitable for this, due to their delicate aroma.

Having studied each culture separately, you can easily find significant differences in two related species.

How to graft cherries onto cherries and get a harvest, watch in this video.