Cherries, Chios sour cherries
The Chios Cherries and Morello Cherries constitute part of the island’s overall production of stone fruit, a crop which, although not dominant in terms of cultivated area, contributes to agricultural diversity, especially in mountainous and semi-mountainous regions. Chios is more widely known for its citrus fruits and mastic, however, the presence of the sweet cherry (Prunus avium) and the sour cherry (Prunus cerasus) attests to the ability of local varieties to adapt to an insular, often dry and hot environment. Their fruits, which ripen mainly in the early summer months, are in high demand both for fresh consumption and for traditional processing into spoon sweets and jams, firmly embedding the product within the local gastronomic culture.
Chios Cherries and Morello Cherries are identified by the botanical names Prunus avium and Prunus cerasus respectively, with no official synonym or name variation recorded as being locally attributed to them. There is a documented local cherry variety that bears the name “Chios” in experimental evaluations conducted by the Department of Deciduous Fruit Trees.
The cultivation of cherry and morello cherry trees on Chios is found mainly in areas of moderate altitude or in the mountainous zones of the island, where the climatic conditions (especially the required chilling hours in winter) are more favorable compared to the lowland areas, such as Kambos, where citrus trees dominate. Although there are no precise data on the cultivated area by region on Chios, in general, cherry and morello cherry trees thrive best in soils characterized by excellent drainage while at the same time retaining the necessary moisture, ideally deep clay-loam soils with a neutral to slightly acidic pH (around 6.5–7.0), avoiding calcareous, heavy and poorly aerated soils. The island setting makes it necessary to manage moisture carefully and to irrigate during the dry summer months, especially in July and August, when water requirements are increased due to high temperatures.
The cultivation of stone fruits, such as sweet cherry and sour cherry, on Chios follows general agronomic practices, with adaptations to the island environment. The trees require a significant number of chilling hours during winter to break bud dormancy, a fact that limits successful cultivation to the cooler areas of the island. The choice of rootstocks plays a crucial role: traditionally, seedlings of mahaleb cherry (Prunus mahaleb L.) were used, which thrive in drier, warmer, dry, gravelly, poor or even calcareous soils, conditions often found in our country. In modern orchards, where dense planting and rapid fruiting are sought, clonal rootstocks such as Gisela or CAB are used, which, however, require more fertile, irrigated and well-drained soils.
Irrigation is essential during the period of vegetative growth and fruit ripening, starting early in spring and continuing until autumn. The greatest water demand usually occurs in the hotter months, July–August, a critical period for the development of fruit size and quality. The harvest of sweet and sour cherries usually takes place in June, which is considered the month of cherries, and is carried out mainly by hand, as the fruit is delicate. After harvest, processing on Chios traditionally focuses on the production of spoon sweets and jams, which are part of the local gastronomy, while a portion is sold as fresh fruit on the local market.
The cultivation of sweet and sour cherries on Chios, although it does not hold the commercial primacy of mastic or citrus fruits, plays an important role in maintaining agricultural diversity and supporting the island’s mountainous and semi-mountainous communities. It serves as a supplementary source of income for small producers and farmers in areas where the main crops, such as mastic, do not thrive. Their production, both fresh and processed into spoon sweets, supplies the local market and contributes to the island’s local gastronomic identity, offering seasonal products to visitors and residents.
The cultivation of stone fruits, including the cherry and sour cherry tree, has a long history in Greece, as the sour cherry (Prunus cerasus) is believed to originate from Asia Minor and the cherry (Prunus avium) from East Asia. The geographical position of Chios, close to Asia Minor, makes their early introduction and cultivation plausible. Although Chios is historically identified with the cultivation of mastic and citrus fruits (especially the mandarin), the presence of the cherry tree, even with the recorded local variety “Chios,” indicates a tradition of fruit cultivation in areas that served the needs of local households for fresh fruit and sweets. Sour cherry spoon sweet constitutes a timeless cultural code of hospitality on the island, as well as throughout Greece, where the fruit is processed into a treat traditionally offered to visitors.
The cultivation of cherries and sour cherries is not accompanied by extensive, special customs to the extent seen with Chios mastic or citrus fruits. However, the seasonality of the fruit in June marks the beginning of summer and the harvest of the first sweet fruits. The transformation of the fruit into spoon sweet and jam is a deeply rooted tradition in Chian households, where women undertook the processing of the fruit so that it could be preserved throughout the year. Sour cherries in particular were used for the well-known “vyssinada,” a refreshing syrup that accompanied summer afternoons. These practices constitute informal customs of preservation and hospitality, an integral part of the island’s rural and domestic culture.
