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.Award of Garden Merit Plants - Fruits and Vegetables
Cultivar history The Lapins cultivar was developed in Summerland, British Columbia at the Summerland Research Station. It was one of the varieties developed by the agronomist Karlis O. Lapins (Lapiņš), a native of Latvia who did pioneering work in the development of self-fertile cherry cultivars. Though the cultivar was not released until 1983, years after his retirement, it was named in his honor.
Tree characteristics The Lapins cherry tree grows to 2.5 to 4 meters tall, with a 2.5 to 4 meters spread. It has dense, green foliage and a branch structure conducive to heavy yields."Lapins and Sunburst Sweet Cherry" Canadian Journal of Plant Science 64:211-216 (Jan. 1984) Like its parent variety Stella, the Lapins cherry is self-fertile and an excellent pollinator for other cherry varieties.
Fruit characteristics
The fruit of the Lapins cultivar is regarded as very high quality. It turns deep red well before it is ready to pick, and unlike some varieties it is sweet while still red. Lapins is a late-season cherry, ripening about 2 weeks later than the Bing cherry. They are noted for having good split resistance.
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