A self-fertile sweet cherry that crops heavily on its own — big, firm, mahogany-red fruit with rich, sugary flavor and almost no cracking.
Lapins is a Canadian-bred sweet cherry (a 'Van' & 'Stella' cross developed at Summerland, British Columbia) prized for being one of the few self-fruitful sweet cherries. The cherries are large, heart-shaped, and glossy dark red, with crisp, meaty flesh and a deep, honeyed sweetness that eats beautifully fresh off the branch and holds up well for baking, preserving, and freezing.
Why growers choose the Lapins
Self-fertile. It sets a full crop without a second cherry tree nearby, making it ideal for smaller yards and first-time fruit growers.
Large, firm fruit. The cherries are notably big and meaty, with a satisfying snap and rich sugar-forward flavor that rivals the best market cherries.
Crack resistant. Lapins is well known for resisting the skin-splitting that ruins many sweet cherries after rain near harvest.
Reliable, heavy bearer. Once established it produces consistently abundant crops, with a long-lived tree that rewards patience.
Cold-hardy and adaptable. Comfortable in USDA zones 5 through 9, it handles real winters while still ripening sweet, dessert-quality fruit.
At a mature 15-20 ft. tall and 10-15 ft. wide, Lapins makes a handsome shade-and-fruit tree for an in-ground spot in full sun — and because it pollinates itself, a single tree is all you need to enjoy fresh cherries every early summer.
