Van is a cultivar of

cherry A cherry is the fruit of many plants of the genus ''Prunus'', and is a fleshy drupe (stone fruit). Commercial cherries are obtained from cultivars of several species, such as the sweet ''Prunus avium'' and the sour ''Prunus cerasus''. The nam ...

originating from

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

Cultivar history

The Van cultivar originated from open pollination of an "Empress Eugenie" tree."Cherries: Botany, Production, and Uses"
pg. 83WSU Tree Fruit: Van

Washington State University Washington State University (Washington State, WSU, or informally Wazzu) is a public land-grant research university with its flagship, and oldest, campus in Pullman, Washington. Founded in 1890, WSU is also one of the oldest land-grant unive ...

It was developed in

Summerland, British Columbia Summerland (2016 population 11,615) is a town on the west side of Okanagan Lake in the interior of British Columbia, Canada. The district is between Peachland to the north and Penticton to the south. The largest centre in the region is Kelown ...

at the

Summerland Research Station The Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre (previously known as the Dominion Experimental Farm at Summerland and Summerland Research Station) is an agricultural research centre in British Columbia, Canada. The centre has been historically important in th ...

. The cross was made in 1936, selected in 1942, and introduced in 1944, with the resulting tree named in honor of horticulturalist J. R. Van Haarlen.UC Davis Foundation Plant Services Prunus Encyclopedia
/ref> The Van cherry was one of the parent varieties of the

Lapins cherry Lapins (also marketed as Cherokee) is a cultivar of cherry. It is a hybrid of the Van and Stella cultivars. It has been awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Cultivar history The Lapins cultivar was developed in ...

Tree characteristics

The Van cherry tree is hardy, vigorous, and a heavy bearer,USU Extension

Utah State University Utah State University (USU or Utah State) is a public land-grant research university in Logan, Utah. It is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. With nearly 20,000 students living on or near campus, USU is Utah's ...

but overloading can cause it to produce small fruit.British Columbia Tree Fruit Production Guide
/ref> Like most cherry varieties, Van is self-incompatible; it can be pollinated by many other cherry varieties, including

Bing Bing most often refers to: * Bing Crosby (1903–1977), American singer * Microsoft Bing, a web search engine Bing may also refer to: Food and drink * Bing (bread), a Chinese flatbread * Bing (soft drink), a UK brand * Bing cherry, a variety ...

, Montmorency, and

Stella Stella or STELLA may refer to: Art, entertainment, and media Comedy *Stella (comedy group), a comedy troupe consisting of Michael Showalter, Michael Ian Black and David Wain Characters *Stella (given name), including a list of characters with th ...

, among others.WSU Tree Fruit: Sweet Cherry Pollination
/ref> Van blooms about 3 days before Bing.

Fruit characteristics

The Van cherry is a mid-season producer, ripening about 3 days before Bing. Its fruits are medium-sized, with dark red flesh and black skin, and sweet.

Growing regions

Apart from Canada and the Pacific Northwest region of the United States, Van is also grown in Australia and Norway.Cherry Growers Australia
/ref>

References

{{Cherries Cherry cultivars Crops originating from Canada