Prunus serrulata

Prunus serrulata
	Japanese Cherry (Prunus serrulata)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Rosales
Family:	Rosaceae
Subfamily:	Prunoideae
Genus:	Prunus
Subgenus:	Cerasus
Species:	P. serrulata
Binomial name
	Prunus serrulata; Lindl.

Prunus serrulata (syn. Cerasus serrulata (Lindl.) Loudon; Japanese Cherry, also called Hill Cherry, Oriental Cherry or East Asian Cherry, is a species of cherry native to Japan, Korea and China.

It is a small deciduous tree with a short single trunk, with a dense crown reaching a height of about 8-12 m. The smooth bark is chestnut-brown, with prominent horizontal lenticels. The leaves are arranged alternately, simple, ovate-lanceolate, 5-13 cm long and 2.5-6.5 cm broad, with a short petiole and a serrate or doubly serrate margin. At the end of autumn, the green leaves turn yellow, red or crimson. The flowers are produced in racemose clusters of two to five together at nodes on short spurs in spring at the same time as the new leaves appear; they are white to pink, with five petals in the wild type tree. The fruit is a globose black drupe 8-10 mm diameter.

Cultivation and uses

It is widely grown as an ornamental tree, both in its native area and elsewhere throughout the temperate regions of the world. Numerous cultivars have been selected, many of them with double flowers with the stamens replaced by additional petals.

In cultivation in Europe and North America, it is usually grafted on to Prunus avium roots; the cultivated forms rarely bear fruit. It is viewed as part of the Japanese custom of Hanami.

Cultivars and varieties

There are several varieties:

Prunus serrulata var. serrulata (syn. var. spontanea). Japan, Korea, China.
Prunus serrulata var. hupehensis (Ingram) Ingram. Central China. Not accepted as distinct by the Flora of China.
Prunus serrulata var. lannesiana (Carrière) Makino (syn. Cerasus lannesiana Carrière; Prunus lannesiana (Carrière) E. H. Wilson). Japan.
Prunus serrulata var. pubescens (Makino) Nakai. Korea, northeastern China.

Selected important cultivars include:

Prunus serrulata 'Amonogawa'. Fastigate Cherry, with columnar habit; flowers semi-double, pale pink.
Prunus serrulata 'Kanzan'. Kanzan Cherry. Flowers pink, double; young leaves bronze-coloured at first, becoming green. Commonly mis-spelt "Kwanzan".
Prunus serrulata 'Kiku-shidare'. Cheal's Weeping Cherry. Stems weeping; flowers double, pink. Tends to be short-lived.
Prunus serrulata 'Shirofugen'. Flowers double, deep pink at first, fading to pale pink.
Prunus serrulata 'Shirotae'. Mt. Fuji Cherry. Very low, broad crown with nearly horizontal branching; flowers pure white, semi-double.
Prunus serrulata 'Tai Haku'. Great White Cherry. Flowers single, white, very large (up to 8 cm diameter); young leaves bronze-coloured at first, becoming green.
Prunus serrulata 'Ukon'.

References

Rushforth, K. (1999). Trees of Britain and Europe. Collins ISBN 0-00-220013-9.
Flora of China: Cerasus serrulata
NC State University: Prunus serrulata
Arborist's photo: size potential for Prunus serrulata 'Shirotae' ('Mt. Fuji')