First mentioned in 1825 by pomologist Georg Liegel, the Bernsteinkirsche (“amber cherry”) is a heart-shaped, yellow bird cherry. Of all the yellow cherry varieties, this one is probably the best known and most common throughout Germany. This may not only be due to the special ornamental value of its unusual color; this also means that the fruit is less often eaten by birds and infested by cherry fruit flies. In addition, it tastes very sweet and aromatic. However, the fruit is more vulnerable to pressure and bursts more easily than those of many other cherry varieties.

Bird cherries have larger fruits and are characterized by firm, “cartilaginous” flesh. The leaves are also larger than those of the wild form (P. avium subsp. avium). They are best eaten fresh, but like sour cherries, they can be made into stewed fruit, red fruit jelly, jam, and more.

• Edible Fruits
• Type of fruit drupe
• Culinary Group stone fruits
• Taste sweet
• Trivial names (subspecies) Knorpelkirsche, Krachkirsche, Knubber, Knupper, wild cherry, sweet cherry, gean, bird cherry, mazzard, merisier, cerisier des oiseaux, cerisier sauvage, cerisier des bois, cerezo silvestre, cerezo dulce, cerezo de monte, ciliegio
• Trivial Names (variety) Dönissens gelbe Knorpelkirsche, Bernsteinkirsche, Honigkirsche, Wachskirsche, Schwefelkirsche, Weißkirsche
• Size (fruit) 1,5 cm
• Taxonomy Rosaceae (rose family) Prunus avium subsp. duracina 'Dönissens gelbe Knorpelkirsche'
• Origin Europe, Near East (Map)
• Locality Palmengarten Frankfurt (FRT) 2020