Where Do Cherries Grow?

Where do cherries grow? Living in the United States you’re able to find them in most grocery stores across the country, but how did they get there?

Cherries, both sweet and tart, are grown on large and small farms across the country. The question, “Where do cherries grow,” can be more accurately posed to ask which strains of cherries work best in which climates. The answer depends on the type of cherry and the resources of the farming team.

Sweet Cherries

Sweet cherries are the variety that you can pluck right from the tree and pop into your mouth. They’re perfect for snacks, fresh or frozen.

The majority of fresh cherries are produced in Turkey and the United States. You can find most of them on the West Coast, especially in Washington or California.

Washington is the kingpin of sweet cherry production, with over 350,000 tons produced in 2016. That’s a lot of ice cream sundaes!

Tart Cherries

When it comes to tart or “sour” cherries, they’re most commonly produced in Eastern and Southern Europe. This doesn’t mean you can’t buy them fresh in the United States, though.

Michigan, which is considered by some to be the “Cherry Capital of the World,” makes up 74% of tart cherry production.

To put it into numbers, the state grew close to 329.3 million pounds in 2016. This harvest is frozen and processed in a variety of ways that can give it a longer shelf life. Breaking down the numbers, that yearly load is enough to make over 41 million gallons of cherry juice!

Where Do Cherries Grow? In Orchards Around the World

Where do cherries grow? It's important to note that the trees are planted in orchards to encourage the pollination they need. Cherries are notoriously tricky to harvest, so wherever they’re grown, they’re treated with the utmost care.