The Royal Ann or Royal Anne is a variety of cherry, similar in appearance and taste to the Rainier cherry. It belongs to the firm-fleshed sweet cherries, also known by the French name bigarreaux. Its fruits are large and will not get mushy quickly during cooking, making it a prime variety for conserves and pickling. While it is also excellent to eat fresh, its fruit are yellow-skinned and -fleshed, with a red hue only present wherever the skin was directly exposed to the sun. Unless they are grown on small trees in full sunlight, they easily become visibly bruised and less appetizing during handling, and are thus rarely available in markets.
This cherry variety originates in Europe north of the Alps<!-- Either Brandenburg, Netherlands, France or Austria... probably -->, spreading widely across that continent and to the British Isles due to its firm and (at that time) huge fruit at the start of the 19th century. At that time, Napoleon Bonaparte was at the height of his power; hence, this cherry is also called Napoleon cherry, bigarreau Napoleon or similar in many European languages. Other common names refer to royalty: Queen Anne (hence "Royal Ann", by which name it spread across North America), Große Prinzessin/Grote Prinses, Kaiser Franz/Emperor Francis, Königskirsche, or the more generic Wienerin/Dunajka<!-- ="Viennese"/"Danubian" -->, Lauermanns Kirsche and Herites.
Biology
About Royal Ann
Royal Ann cherry trees are perennial semi-dwarfs that bloom early April with harvest in mid-summer. They are deciduous trees that can be characterized by dark green leaves and clusters of small fragrant white flowers that are about 2.5-3 centimeters wide. Royal Ann flowers are hermaphroditic, containing both male and female reproductive organs, however, the tree cannot self-pollinate. Another pollinator species is necessary for fertilization to occur, most commonly bees. The trees prefer a half to full day of sun, and soil with good drainage. similar in size to most cherry varieties, and are yellow to light pink colored. Royal Ann fruits are often mistaken for Rainier cherries because of their similar appearance and taste. Sweet cherries, like the Royal Ann are also high in sugars, like glucose, fructose, sucrose, and sorbitol. Organic acids in sweet cherries include malic, citric, shikimic, and fumaric.
Sweet cherry trees were initially taken to the United States with the colonists in 1629.
Cultivation
Sweet cherry trees are labeled as being very delicate and finicky. They are not a popular choice for growing with hobby gardeners because they can be very time-consuming. Tips for facilitating growth and harvesting include bending the branches. This happens when the cherries are near ripe, and full of nutrients. With an excess of water intake, the skin of the fruit can no longer hold all of the nutrients and fluids and bursts open.
Human use
Because of their firm and fleshy traits, Royal Ann cherries are ideal for home commercial and home canning. Royal Ann cherries are also excellent and sweet eaten fresh on their own.