Prunus avium 'Lapins' (Cherry)

Lapins is self-fertile dark mahogany sweet cherry developed at Summerland Research Station (BC) as a Van x Stella cross. Crack-resistant, high-yielding, and heart-shaped Bing-type fruit. Prunus avium is the cultivated sweet cherry, originating in Europe, western Asia, North Africa and grown for centuries for its fruit. It is not native to North America.

Bloom and harvest in the PNW. Bloom is mid to late season, with fruit ripening early to mid-July in Oregon and Washington orchards. Site in full sun with good air drainage to reduce disease pressure.

Pollination. Lapins is self-fertile: a single tree will set fruit. Compatible partners (self-fertile (excellent universal pollenizer for Bing, Rainier, and most other sweet cherries)) increase yields.

PNW disease and care. Lapins is the gold-standard universal pollenizer for sweet cherries in the PNW because it is self-fertile, pollinates virtually all other sweet cherries, and crops heavily on its own. The species-level disease pressures to plan for are brown rot (Monilinia laxa), bacterial canker, cherry leaf spot, and powdery mildew. Cherry fruit fly and spotted wing drosophila are the major insect pressures. Net trees against birds at color change.

Native fruiting alternatives: If you also want to support PNW birds and pollinators with regionally native fruit, consider Amelanchier alnifolia (Saskatoon serviceberry), Vaccinium ovatum (evergreen huckleberry), Malus fusca (Pacific crabapple), or Prunus virginiana (chokecherry). These provide bird food, pollinator support, and Indigenous food heritage in your landscape alongside your orchard fruit.