Sweet cherry ( Prunus avium)
Introduction
The photograph on this page of Sweet cherry ( Prunus avium) by Evelyn Simak as part of the Geograph project.
The Geograph project started in 2005 with the aim of publishing, organising and preserving representative images for every square kilometre of Great Britain, Ireland and the Isle of Man.
There are currently over 7.5m images from over 14,400 individuals and you can help contribute to the project by visiting https://www.geograph.org.uk
Sweet cherry ( Prunus avium)
Image: © Evelyn Simak Taken: 8 Jul 2017
Most eating cherries are derived from either Prunus avium, the sweet cherry (also called the wild cherry), or from Prunus cerasus, the sour cherry. The ancestors of domestic cherries originated in the Caucasus mountains from whence they were carried to Rome in ancient times. According to Pliny the Elder, Italy was devoid of cherry trees until 74 BC, but within 120 years cherry trees would spread as far as Britain. Pliny described three varieties of tame sweet cherries, including the Junian cherry that “has a pleasant taste, but only if eaten under its tree, since it is so tender that it cannot stand being transported.” Cherries were first introduced into England at Teynham, near Sittingbourne in Kent, by order of Henry VIII (28 June 1491 – 28 January 1547).
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Image Location
Latitude
52.618133
Longitude
1.390369