Golden State Big Cherries

Golden State Big Cherries

Jinzhou Big Cherries is a geographical indication certification trademark.

　　Big cherries are temperate deciduous fruit trees, mainly distributed in the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. They are among the earliest high-quality fruits to ripen in northern China and are known as the “First Fruit of Spring.” In mid-June, the outdoor-grown big cherries of Jinzhou reach full ripeness. To allow residents and tourists to taste authentic Jinzhou big cherries, starting from 2005, the Jinzhou District agricultural tourism sector officially launched the “Big Cherry Tasting Week” event. On May 7, 2008, at the press conference for the “2008 China Dalian Cherry Festival” held in Beijing, the State Administration for Industry and Commerce officially handed over the geographical indication certification to the Dalian authorities, thereby approving the “Jinzhou Big Cherries” product as a registered Chinese geographical indication certification trademark.

　　Jinzhou District has a history of cultivating big cherries for over a hundred years. According to the 1906 record in Gu Chuan’s *Manchurian Fruit Trees*, in 1906, Jinzhou District introduced the “Napoleon” variety of big cherries from abroad, initially planted in Balizhuang, Jinzhou. Later, the cultivation expanded to areas such as Sanlishipu, Shihé, Qiding Mountain, and Daweijia, marking a history of over a century.

　　There are very few regions in China suitable for cultivating big cherries. Only Dalian on the Liaodong Peninsula, Qingdao and Yantai on the Shandong Peninsula, and Qinhuangdao in Hebei are capable of growing them. Due to Jinzhou’s coastal and mountainous surroundings, significant diurnal temperature variations, and large-scale adoption of harmless farming practices, the quality and flavor of its big cherries surpass those of other regions, earning them the reputation of “the world’s most extraordinary fruit” among consumers. The Jinzhou District has registered the “Jinzhou Red” brand of big cherries, making it a Dalian-branded agricultural product.

　　Jinzhou District boasts a wide variety and large cultivation area of big cherries. Before the 1980s, the main varieties grown in Jinzhou included Napoleon, Big Purple, Chicken Heart, Hongfeng, Yanglao, Late Red, and Late Yellow. Since the 1980s, the main varieties cultivated have been early-, mid-, and late-season sweet cherry cultivars such as Hongdeng, Hongyan, Hongmi, JuHong, and Jiahong, which feature strong winter hardiness, uniform growth, well-developed root systems, and disease resistance. In recent years, more than 50 varieties of big cherries have been introduced from countries such as the United States, Canada, and Japan, including Summit, Kosui, Rainier, Beni Shogun, Benishuho, Van, Lapins, Staccato, Satonishiki, and Suijoukiran.