ABSTRACT
Black cherry is native to eastern North America, ranging from southern Quebec and Ontario south to Texas and central Florida. The pin cherry occurs in all provinces of Canada. In the United States it is very common in New England and the Lake States, and occurs sporadically in the Appalachian Mountains and the Rocky Mountains. The chokecherry is widely distributed across Canada and the United States and it reaches into northern Mexico. Cherries in baked goods sometimes produce blue discoloration around the fruit due to a chemical reaction between the fruit and baking powder or baking soda. This can be prevented by substituting buttermilk or sour cream for milk in the recipe or adding an acidic liquid such as lemon juice. The North American cherries are inferior as fruits to the Eurasian cherry species, and have very limited commercial importance as direct sources of cherries.
