The scientific name for the family is Rosaceae. Cherry trees come in hundreds of varieties, but are derived from only a few species. There are two main species valued for their fruit, a couple of species are known for producing high quality wood or are grown as ornamentals. One of the cherries that bear edible fruit is known scientifically as Prunus avium . P. avium is the source of sweet cherries.
Sweet cherries are the most popular of the edible cherries.
The fruits can range in color from dark red to a light yellow. They do not stand up to cooking well, so most sweet cherries are eaten fresh. The sweet cherry tree itself is a medium sized tree that can be grown in slightly more varied climates than the sour species. It is a bit trickier to grow, however, do to the fact that it usually requires cross-pollination in order to produce a significant amount of fruit. However, many varieties of sweet cherries have been cultivated not for their fruit but for their flowers.