When Is the Cherry Season for Cherry Pearls? A Detailed Explanation of the Differences from Cherries

Many people like to eat cherries, but did you know there is a plant that looks very much like a cherry, called the cherry pearl? So what are the differences between cherry pearls and cherries? When is the cherry pearl picking season?

The Cherry Pearl Picking Season

Cherry pearls can generally be picked after the Dragon Boat Festival. Every year, early May to early July is the peak harvest season for cherry pearls. Crystal, Yellow Honey, Big Red Lantern…… all kinds of large cherry pearls with brilliant colors and plump flesh hang delicately on the trees.

The 3 Major Differences Between Cherry Pearls and Cherries

1. Size

Cherries are small, generally referring to Chinese cherries, such as Nanjing's Chuisi cherry and Yinzhu cherry; Shandong's Taishan cherry, Zaozhuang's Da Wo Lou Ye, Laiyang Short-Stalk Large Fruit, and Laoshan Short-Stalk Red Cherry are all native Chinese varieties, and they are all small cherry pearls.

Cherry pearls are large, generally varieties introduced from Europe, such as Napoleon and Big Purple, Red Lantern, Red Honey, Red Brilliance, Zhifu Red, Yantai No. 1, and so on.

2. Fruit Size

Cherries have small fruit, relatively soft flesh, and a very sweet taste. They generally ripen and come onto the market in late April to early May, and leave the market in mid-to-late May.

Cherry pearls have large fruit, relatively firm flesh, and a sweet-and-sour taste. They generally ripen and come onto the market in mid-May and leave the market in mid-June.

3. Difference in Sweetness

The cherry is the kind we commonly eat, with relatively small fruit and less flesh but fairly sweet; small cherries grow in clusters.

The cherry pearl is a type of cherry. The cherry pearl blooms at a time similar to the cherry, but its flowering period is slightly longer, and compared with cherry blossoms, the cherry pearl's flower color is more white, and its stamens are also relatively larger. The fruit of the cherry pearl is also larger than that of the cherry, but its taste is not as sweet as that of the cherry.