Deciduous tree to 20 m. Leaves ovate to obovate, 7-15 cm long, acuminate, margin coarsely toothed. Flowers in stalked or stalkless umbels or corymbs of 2-6 flowers, 2-3 cm wide, white. Flower stalks mostly 2-4 cm long. Fruit red to blackish, 2 cm wide, sweet.

The cultivated sweet eating cherries are derived from this species. In Australia, NSW is the major producing state. Cultivars include 'Bing', 'Compact Stella', 'Lambert', 'Lewis', 'Merchant', 'Napoleon', 'Ron's Seedling', 'Sam', 'Stella' and 'Vega', as well as the recent cultivars, A 'Brooks' PVJ 8(3)52 and A 'Empress' PVJ 6(1)7.

Europe, N Africa, Siberia, SW Asia.

Source: Spencer, R. (2002). Rosaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 3. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 2. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.