Stefano Lugli - SL Fruit Service (IT)
Chair of Cherry Times technical-scientific committee
The cultivar (cv) Royal Helen* produced by a young producer from the province of Modena (IT) was awarded the title of 'Most Beautiful Cherry in Italy' 2023. Congratulations to Riccardo Bergonzini. The jury of the competition that rewards Italian excellence every year during an initiative now in its XXIV edition, supported by teams of renowned chefs and qualified experts of this fruit of paradise, decreed the Californian maiden as the most charming of cherries, but not the tastiest.
IMAGE 1: Classification of the national 'Cherries of Italy' competition 2023
The fine palates of the commission decided that the award for the best cherry should go to an elderly lady from Campania, now at the end of her career, the variety Spernocchia.
IMAGE 2: Spernocchia
Old hen makes good stock? Wisdom comes with age? It depends on the point of view. I share a thought by Oscar Whild that seems pertinent: With age comes wisdom, but sometimes age comes alone.
Royal Helen's value
IMAGE 3: Royal Helen*
A pragmatic view, supported by experimental experience and direct observations in orchards, leads us to say that Royal Helen* should rightfully be included in the top ten of the new late season cherry varieties. For these three reasons: high aesthetic standards, excellent cherry quality and high production performance.
IMAGE 4: Main features of Royal Helen*
The varieties of the Royal® series, the Californian cherries of Zaiger Genetics, were presented to the general public four years ago at the International Cherry Symposium in Vignola (IT). Among them is the cultivar Royal Helen*.
Links for further information:
14 Oct 2025
A study from southern Spain compares two biostimulant strategies on sweet cherry trees, focusing on yield, fruit quality, and ripening in “Nimba” and “Red Pacific”. Results show clear economic benefits and sustainable options for cherry growers worldwide.
13 Feb 2025
Researchers from the Hellenic International University (Greece) have attempted to identify environmental issues arising during the cherry production process in order to reduce negative environmental impacts, and optimize production through redesigning the product flow diagram.
29 Apr 2026
A Chinese study examines anthocyanin stability in different cherry species during puree processing, highlighting how chemical structure and processing stages affect pigment loss and the overall quality of the final product.
29 Apr 2026
In Chile, the Check Fast Cherry system shows that Botrytis is more aggressive than Alternaria on cherry flowers and fruits. The 48-hour rapid test detects infections in real time and identifies new fungal species, supporting more effective disease control strategies.
