Regina is a modern late-season black dessert cherry, ripening in mid-to-late July.
Although usually classified as a black cherry, in practice the skin colour is more often very dark red. The flesh is firm, dark red, with an excellent flavour.
Regina has quickly proved popular with both commercial growers and gardeners alike, on account of its good balanced flavour, large size cherries, and resistance to fruit-cracking. It is a useful alternative to Kordia, and is one of the best dessert cherry varieties for northern climates.
Next deliveries: December 2024 - February 2025
Regina has some resistance to cracking and splitting, a common problem with sweet cherries, caused by rainfall at the time of ripening - a common issue in north western Europe.
Regina is not self-fertile and requires a compatible cherry tree nearby to ensure pollination - Penny or Kordia are good choices, as are any of the Canadian self-fertile varieties such as Celeste, Lapins, Skeena, Stella, and Sunburst.
Cropping is often better in cooler climates than warm climates, but it is usually a regular cropper.
Regina was developed in the 1950s at the Jork Fruit Experiment Station, Hanover, Germany. It was released in the 1990s. It is a cross between two other German cherry varieties, Schneiders Spate Knorpelkirsche and Rube.
This variety description was researched and written by Orange Pippin staff. Last checked: 2024.