Bing is king at this time of year. Though several varieties of sweet cherries are grown, the bing remains the choice of Americans. The United States leads the world in fresh sweet cherry production, mostly grown in the Northwest. Michigan leads the nation in production of sour or pie cherries, but also grows a fair amount of sweet bings.
Climate determines where cherries grow best.
The Northwest has an ideal microclimate for sweet cherries. The days are warm, the nights are cool and the volcanic soil is very rich. In Michigan, hardy tart cherry trees can survive bitter cold winters and thrive in sandy soil along the shores of Lake Michigan. It's fun, crowded and flavored with every imaginable way to eat cherries. Cherries, of course, are fabulous simply eaten out of your hand.