Cherry vs Cherry Plum: What's the Difference?
Short answer: A true cherry (Prunus avium or P. cerasus) is a small, round, single-stone fruit eaten sweet or used tart in cooking. A cherry plum (Prunus cerasifera) is a plum - larger than a cherry, softer, with plum-like flesh and skin - that ripens early and is often more tart. Despite the name and cherry-like size, it eats and cooks like a small plum.
| 🍒 Cherry | 🔴 Cherry plum | |
|---|---|---|
| Taste | Sweet cherries are juicy, snappy, and winey-sweet (Rainiers add a honeyed, low-acid delicacy); sour cherries are bright, almond-scented, and made for sugar and heat rather than raw eating. | Sweet-tart and juicy with a thin skin and soft, sometimes clingy stone; flavor ranges from bright and refreshing to richly sweet depending on color and ripeness. |
| Type | Stone fruit | Stone fruit |
| Peak season | Summer, Spring | Summer |
| Origin | Black Sea and Caspian region (Anatolia to the Caucasus) | The Balkans, the Caucasus, and Central Asia |
| Calories (per 100 g) | 63 | 46 |
| Sugar (per 100 g) | 12.8 g | 9 g |
| Vitamin C (per 100 g) | 7 mg | 9 mg |
| Typical price | Premium | Budget |
They share a syllable and a rough size, but a cherry and a cherry plum are different fruits in the genus Prunus.
A true cherry is Prunus avium (sweet cherry) or Prunus cerasus (sour/tart cherry): a small, round, firm fruit on a long stem with a single stone. Sweet cherries are rich and sugary for eating out of hand; sour cherries are bright and acidic, the ones you cook into pies and preserves.
A cherry plum (Prunus cerasifera, also called myrobalan plum) is a plum that simply bears small, cherry-sized fruit - which is where the name comes from. Its skin and flesh are plum-like: softer, juicier, and often tarter near the skin, sweetening when fully ripe. It’s one of the earliest stone fruits to ripen, and its ornamental purple-leaved forms are common street and garden trees. In the kitchen it behaves like a small plum, shining in jams, sauces, and baking rather than as a firm snacking cherry.
Frequently asked questions
Is a cherry plum a cherry or a plum?
A plum. The cherry plum (Prunus cerasifera) is a true plum species that happens to bear small, cherry-sized fruit. It's named for its size, not its lineage.
How do they taste different?
Sweet cherries are firm and richly sweet; sour cherries are bright and tart for cooking. Cherry plums are softer and more plum-like, often tarter near the skin, and can be sweet when fully ripe.
Can I use cherry plums like cherries?
Not identically. Cherry plums are softer and juicier with plum character, so they're better in jams, sauces, and baking than as a firm snacking cherry. They also ripen very early in the season.