Cherry Bomb

The Cherry Bomb is the first instant-kill plant received in the game. It is given for completing Adventure mode level 1-2. The Cherry Bomb reaches up to three lanes and two squares in each of the three lanes. It can kill Zombies on a 3x3 square area through its explosion. The Cherry Bomb also destroy Balloon Zombies, Snorkel Zombies, and Digger Zombies. Even though it is a plant that does massive damage, it can only do 90 damage to the Gargantuar and Giga-gargantuar, or 60%/30% of its health. The Cherry Bomb is shaped like actual cherries that grow on the same stem, Prunus avium, and named after a spherically-shaped firework.

Suburban Almanac Entry
Cherry Bomb

Cherry Bombs can blow up all zombies in an area. They have a short fuse so plant them near zombies.

Damage: massive

Range: all zombies in a medium area

Usage: single use, instant

"'I wanna explode' says Cherry #1. 'No, let's detonate instead!' says his brother, Cherry #2. After intense consultation they agree to explodonate." Cost: 150

Recharge:  very slow

Usage
The Cherry Bomb explodes almost instantly after being planted. It has a very short fuse of about 1.2 seconds, and Zombies will attempt to eat it, but it will always explode before they get the chance to eat it. It is a one-time use plant, but can be planted as often as required.

On detonation, it destroys zombies within one square from its location (diagonally as well as horizontally and vertically). It can also remove ladders placed by Ladder Zombies. Like other Instant kills and Explosives, it can destroy any zombie except for the Gargantuar, Giga-gargantuar, Giga Football Zombie and Dr. Zomboss (but there are no Cherry Bombs in that level) in one shot.

Strategy
The Cherry Bomb is typically used either in one of two situations: as a last-ditch defensive effort when a zombie (or a group of zombies) is going to eat a plant you want to keep, or when you need to dispatch a large zombie cluster instantly. It can also be used at the end of a level you want to end quickly. It is not usually necessary during Adventure Mode, as a reliable Instant Kill only becomes necessary during the final waves when there are a large number of zombies headed toward your defenses. However, using one on a Conveyor-Belt Level can be convenient, and allow space for additional plants.

Achievements
If you blow up 10 zombies with one Cherry Bomb, you will earn the achievements Explodonator and Demolitioneer. Note that this only applies to normal-sized zombies; smaller zombies from the Mini-game Big Trouble Little Zombie don't count toward this achievement on the iOS versions due to their small size (this, strangely, is not the case for all other versions).

Trivia

 * The Cherry Bomb is the first Instant Kill, Explosive Plant, One Use Plant, Area of Effect Plant and Very Slow Recharge Plant that the player receives.
 * If used on a Pole Vaulting Zombie or Imp while they are in the air, the Zombies will disappear without an animation, unlike other zombies on the ground. This also happens when other explosives are used such as Jalapenos.
 * Normally, cherries do not have leaves on their stems.
 * It is similar to the Explode-o-nut, as they have the same exploding range and both are Instant Kills.
 * Both of Cherry Bomb's heads are "Siamese twins", joined at the stem apex.
 * The achievement "Explodonator" might come from its Suburban Almanac entry of an argument about the Cherry Bombs' exploding.Badge-picture-1.png
 * However, in the DS version, the name of the Achievement is Demolitioneer, so it doesn't apply in that version.
 * Unlike the Jalapeno, the Cherry Bomb is a flameless explosive, which means that it will not destroy trails left by Zombonis or thaw frozen zombies.Cherry_bomb_23.png
 * This is one of the four Plants with multiple heads, the others being the Threepeater, the Twin Sunflower, and the Split Pea. But Split Pea says that his second head is a large head-like growth.
 * It is also the only plant that definitely has two personalities according to the Almanac (but it's not sure if Twin Sunflower has two personalities).
 * If you look closely, you can see the bigger cherry has two teeth.
 * The Cherry Bomb, the Starfruit, the Melon-pult and the Winter Melon are the only plants that are fruits.
 * On the online version, it looks like Cherry Bomb has a longer range, but the range is still the same.
 * The total number of teeth Cherry Bomb has is three. Also, the Cherry Bomb has three leaves, which is a coincidence.
 * Somehow, Cherry Bombs in the online version of Plants vs. Zombies can't destroy Dynamite, but the Dynamite can destroy the Cherry Bombs.
 * This is most likely because the Dynamite acts like a Jack-in-the-Box Zombie, which is immune to attacks (unless timed precisely) in Vasebreaker.
 * If you look closely, Cherry Bombs have green pupils, like Jalapeno.
 * There is a plush version of the Cherry bomb with only one cherry and a vine under it. This is commonly referred as the "Apple Bomb".