The cherry tree because they know that the Barbados cherry is one of the richest sources of Vitamin C in the world, exceeded only by the rosehip. One cherry can contain 134% of the recommended daily value of Vitamin C, which is a known anti-oxidant, good for building collagen, protecting mucus membranes and preventing scurvy. It is also an excellent astringent. (The cherry is also a significant source of Vitamin A.) Used in both modern and folk medicine, it treats liver complaints, diarrhoea, dysentery, coughs and colds. It is even used to fight cancer, especially that of the colon.