Tart for the Heart!

"A Plant a Day"- Tart Cherry, Sour Cherry (Prunus cerasus)-

 The Tart Cherry is a small species of cherry tree (growing normally about 20 feet) native to Europe and southwest Asia, producing dark crimson cherries with a sour flavor. The Tart Cherry can be used as a hedge and does well in exposed conditions. Two main varieties exist, the (darker) Morello Cherry and the (lighter) Amarelle Cherry. There are many uses for the Tart Cherry and its plant parts. The Tart Cherry is used as a nectar plant, producing both nectar and pollen. The cherries themselves are consumed raw, dried or cooked. The dried sour cherries are used in cuisines to produce soups, cakes, tarts and pies. A syrup from the cherry is used to make beverages (when diluted in water) and spoon sweets. The seed is used to make an edible oil, the leaves as a tea substitute, and the gum is used for chewing. Tart Cherries are also used to make a beer called lambic (Yum!). The Tart Cherry is also used for making a green dye, an essential oil, and its heavy wood used for making variety of implements.

The bark of the Tart Cherry is used medicinally as an infusion for respiratory health and fevers, and the seed is thought to be a nervine. The root bark is used for cleaning wounds. In a 2019 randomized, controlled clinical trial, 480 mL of the tart cherry juice daily for 12 weeks was found to reduce biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress. In this study, Tart Cherry juice was found to reduce systolic blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, c-reactive protein (CRP; by 25%), and malondialdehyde (MDA; by 3%).

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Photo by I, Przykuta