Bing cherry
| Bing cherry | |
|---|---|
| File:Bing Cherries (USDA ARS).jpg Bing cherry fruits | |
| Genus | Prunus |
| Species | Prunus avium |
| Hybrid parentage | Black Republican cherry × Royal Ann cherry |
| Cultivar | Bing |
| Breeder | Seth Lewelling and Ah Bing |
| Origin | Milwaukie, Oregon, USA |
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Bing is a highly popular cultivar of the wild or sweet cherry (Prunus avium), that originated in the Pacific Northwest. The Bing is the most popular sweet cherry in the United States, making up 50% of Washington's nation-leading cherry crop.[1] It also remains a major cultivar in its native Oregon,[2] as well as California,[2] Wisconsin[2] and British Columbia.[3]
History
[edit | edit source]The cultivar was derived from an open pollination cross between maternal parent Black Republican and paternal parent Royal Ann (also known as 'Napoleon') in 1875 in Milwaukie, Oregon, by horticulturist Seth Lewelling and his Manchurian Chinese-American foreman Ah Bing, for whom the cultivar is named.[3][2][4]
Ah Bing was reportedly born in China and immigrated to the U.S. in about 1855. He worked as a foreman in the Lewelling family fruit orchards in Milwaukie for about 35 years, supervising other workers and caring for trees. He went back to China in 1889 for a visit. Due to the restrictions of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 he never returned to the United States.[3][5] Sources disagree as to whether Ah Bing was responsible for developing the cultivar, or whether it was developed by Lewelling and named in Bing's honor due to his long service as orchard foreman.[3][6]
Horticultural production
[edit | edit source]Bing cherries are used almost exclusively for fresh market. Bings are large, dark and firm cherries that ship well, but will crack open if exposed to rain near harvest.[2] A dry-summer climate is required for the harvest of the Bing cherry, making them especially well adapted to the climates of the Pacific Northwest and California.
Health
[edit | edit source]Bing cherries are high in antioxidants.[7] A study by the United States Department of Agriculture suggests that fresh Bing cherries may help sufferers of arthritis and gout.[8] However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns that these claims are yet unproven.[9]
See also
[edit | edit source]References
[edit | edit source]- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ a b c d e Zebian, Maureen. (8/11/2011) "'Bing' Those Cherries On!" The Epoch Times, Northern California Edition. Accessed August 2011.
- ^ a b c d Peg Herring, Bing cherries are an American favorite. But who was Bing? Archived 2011-07-20 at the Wayback Machine, Oregon Progress, Oregon State University Agricultural Experiment Station, Fall 2009.
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Ah Bing, Infoplease.com, accessed September 23, 2010
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ "A Daily Dose of Antioxidants?" in Agricultural Research, March 2008.
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ List of Firms Receiving Warning Letters Regarding Cherry and other Fruit-Based Products with Disease Claims in Labeling Archived March 10, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
