Harvesting Evans Cherries

 

Harvest, harvest, harvest!

I absolutely LOVE the look of cherry trees in the spring time.  Beautiful flowers that jump start the transition from winter to spring.  I have 2 varieties of cherries growing in my front yard: the Evans cherry tree and a Nanking cherry shrub.   This year, I had no Nanking cherries to harvest, not because the shrub didn't produce but because the birds ate them all.  Damn you birds.  Damn you.

But the birds left the Evans cherries alone, probably because they are sour. You can eat them off the branch if you prefer but you will have a slight pucker face.  Best for other uses such as jams/jellies or making cherry wine.  Pit them and use it in cooking and baking, such as a sour cherry cake.



Did you know that the Evans Cherry was rediscovered here in Edmonton?  It is a hardy self-pollinating tree  that really flourishes and is easy to maintain in our zone.  Even if you don't harvest the cherries, the aesthetics of the tree with it's green branches full of bright red cherries is simply worth having it in yard.