| Lapins cherry | |
|---|---|
 flowers of a Lapins cherry tree | |
| Genus | Prunus |
| Species | Prunus avium |
| Hybrid parentage | Van × Stella |
| Cultivar | Lapins |
| Breeder | K. O. Lapins |
| Origin | Summerland, British Columbia, Canada |
Lapins (also marketed as Cherokee)[1] is a cultivar of cherry. It is a hybrid of the Van and Stella cultivars.[2] It has been awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[3]
The Lapins cultivar was developed in Summerland, British Columbia at the Summerland Research Station.[4] It was one of the varieties developed by the agronomist Karlis O. Lapins, 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.[2]
The Lapins cherry tree grows to 2.5 to 4 meters tall, with a 2.5 to 4 meters spread.[1] It has dense, green foliage and a branch structure conducive to heavy yields.[5] Like its parent variety Stella, the Lapins cherry is self-fertile and an excellent pollinator for other cherry varieties.[5]
The fruit of the Lapins cultivar is regarded as very high quality. It turns deep red well before it is ready to pick,[6] and unlike some varieties it is sweet while still red.[5] Lapins is a late-season cherry, ripening about 2 weeks later than the Bing cherry.[4] They are noted for having good split resistance.[7]
.jpg)
