Flowering Cherries: A Spring Spectacle in Every Shape and Size

Few trees rival flowering cherries for early spring beauty, when a froth of pink or white blossoms cloaks their branches, perfuming the air. But their appeal extends beyond blooms: centuries of Japanese breeding have produced an exquisite range of single and double flowers in pink, white, and bicolors, plus columnar, weeping, and spreading forms that bloom early or late. Fall color on some varieties is spectacular.

For gardeners, this means container-grown or bare-root trees planted now will bloom in two to four months. All thrive in full sun with regular water, in all but the coldest-winter and hottest-summer climates. They’re lovely underplanted with pink tulips and blue forget-me-nots.

Keeping Cherries Compact

For small gardens, consider ‘Hally Jolivette’ (10–15 feet, white double flowers over a long season) or varieties grafted onto Gisela dwarfing rootstock (reduces size by 30%+, induces earlier, heavier bloom). Gisela 5 is available on popular cultivars like ‘Kwanzan’, ‘Shirofugen’, ‘Shirotae’ (‘Mt. Fuji’), ‘Shogetsu’, P. x yedoensis, and ‘Akebono’. Find them at Northwest nurseries or order from Raintree Nursery (www.raintreenursery.com, 360/496-6400).

Planting and Care

• Soil: Fast-draining, granular, lean. Amend heavy soil with compost or use raised beds to prevent root rot.
• Exposure: Full sun.
• Water: Moderate irrigation.
• Feeding: Fertilize young trees at flowering and again in early summer.
• Pruning: Winter: remove awkward/crossing branches. Growing season: pinch unruly shoots to encourage branching.
• Underplanting: Deep roots allow perennials and spring bulbs beneath.
• Design: Plant against evergreen conifers for contrast, or by water to reflect petals.
• Cut branches: Harvest when buds show color; strip buds/leaves below waterline.

Variety Sampler

Standard Uprights

• Prunus ‘Accolade’: Blush pink semidouble, 25 ft, early, zones 2–9, 14–17.
• P. serrulata ‘Kwanzan’: Deep pink double, 30 ft, midseason, zones 3–7, 14–20.
• P. s. ‘Shirofugen’: Pink double fading to white with coppery new leaves, 25 ft, late, zones 3–7, 14–20.
• P. x yedoensis (Yoshino): Pinkish white single, 40 ft, early, zones 3–7, 14–20.
• P. x y. ‘Akebono’: Large pink single, 25 ft, early, zones 3–7, 14–20.

Weepers (10–15 ft)

• P. serrulata ‘Snow Fountains’: White single, early, zones 3–7, 14–20.
• P. x subhirtella ‘Pendula’: Pale pink single; ‘Pendula Rosea Plena’ has deeper pink semidouble. Early, zones 2–7, 14–20.
• P. x s. ‘Yae-shidare-higan’: Rose pink double, midseason, zones 2–7, 14–20.
• P. x yedoensis ‘Shidare-yoshino’: Weeping Yoshino, fast to 40 ft, early, zones 3–7, 14–20.

Spreaders (wider than tall)

• P. serrulata ‘Shirotae’ (‘Mt. Fuji’): Fragrant white semidouble, fall color yellow/red-orange, 20x25 ft, early, zones 2–7, 14–20.
• P. s. ‘Shogetsu’: Pale pink semidouble/double, 15x25 ft, late, zones 3–7, 14–20.

Columnar (narrow spaces)

• P. sargentii ‘Columnaris’: Blush pink single, 35x15 ft, red-orange fall, midseason, zones 2–7, 14–17.
• P. sargentii ‘Rancho’: 25x10 ft, deeper pink, midseason, zones 2–7, 14–17.
• P. serrulata ‘Amanogawa’: Rose-edged light pink semidouble, 20–25x4–8 ft, early-mid, zones 3–7, 14–20.

From first bud to last petal, cherry bloom lasts about three weeks.