Cherries probably originated in the Caucasus Mountains and other parts of Asia Minor and spread westwards into Europe due to seed dropping birds.
The species name for sweet cherry, avium, refers to birds, the agents largely responsible for the distribution of the seed and therefore the spread of both species.
Cultivation most likely began in Greece, because the first description of a cherry tree is from Greek Theophrast around 300 BC. It was then perpetuated by Romans, who consumed it as an essential part of the legionnaire’s diet.
Later, Romans reported the introduction of a single sweet cherry variety to Rome. This lead to sweet cherry’s spread throughout Europe.
Early records describe cherry cultivation during sixteenth century and many old sweet cherry varieties trace back to German origins.
At the end of Middle Ages, cherries became very popular in France, Germany and England. Sweet cherries introduced to America by early English settlers in 1629 and later were introduced to California by Spanish missionaries.
In the 1800s, sweet cherries were moved west by pioneers and fur traders to their major sites of production in Washington, Oregon and California.
In North America, most of the fresh market sweet cherry are produced in Michigan. The wild sweet cherry, Prunus avium, was the ancestor of today’s sweet cherries, which fall into two groups: Bigarreau and Guignes.
The history of sweet cherry
