2013 Senate Bill 259

Declare cherry to be official state fruit

Introduced in the Senate

March 12, 2013

Introduced by Sen. Rebekah Warren (D-18)

To establish that henceforth, as a matter of law and statute, the cherry shall be the official fruit of the great state of Michigan. Several previous cherry bills specified that only the tart cherry, <i>prunus cerasus</i>, shall be the official fruit, and no other cherry. Under this bill, any of the more than 60 cherry species could lawfully represent the state, including such unlikely varieties as the Carolina laurel cherry (<i>prunus caroliniana</i>), or the Korean cherry (<i>prunus japonica</i>). Although the bill does not specify official regional fruits, under its provisions nothing would prohibit Detroit from claiming to be represented by <i>prunus eminens</i>, or the semisour cherry. The bill is cosponsored by Republican Senators Walker and Hune, and Democratic Senators Bieda, Whitmer, Young and Hood.

Referred to the Committee on Government Operations