Ornamental cherry, among the first trees to bloom

Ornamental cherry tree, also called Japanese cherry tree or Prunus, is a very beautiful ornamental tree.

Key Ornamental Cherry tree facts

Name – Prunus serrulata
Family – Rosaceae
Type – tree

Height – 16 to 40 feet (5 to 12 meters)
Exposure – full sun
Soil – ordinary, well drained

Foliage: deciduous  –  Flowering: March-April

Pruning and care will help it grow and bloom magnificently.

Planting ornamental cherry tree

It is recommended to plant in fall, before the first frost spells, to give the roots time to grow.
If you plant your Japanese cherry tree in winter, proceed only if it doesn’t freeze.

Just like most plants that have been purchased in pots or containers, it’s possible to wait for spring and summer to transplant it, if you avoid hot spells.

If this is the case, it will be necessary to water regularly over the first few months after planting.

Pruning a Japanese cherry tree

The only pruning that is really important is the removing of dead wood.

Don’t prune before the blooming, but wait until it is over to reduce tree size or balance the branches, if needed.

Ornamental cherry tree or Prunus varieties

The most common ornamental cherry varieties is the ‘Kanzan’, which in spring bear spectacular blooms.

Other varieties are the ‘Kiku Shidare Sakura’, ‘Hokusai’ and ‘Accolade’. These grow smaller than the ‘Kanzan’, and only reach about 20 to 26 feet (6 to 8 meters) tall. They also are entirely covered in beautiful spring flowers when they bloom.

Lastly, if a dwarf Prunus tree for a smaller garden is what you are looking for, check out the ‘Amanogawa’ variety.

• Did you know…? Ornamental cherry tree is part of the same family as traditional cherry-bearing cherry trees. But the berries they produce are tiny and tasteless, with little flesh around the stone. Though edible, they aren’t worth the effort of picking them.

Learn more about ornamental cherry trees

A garden with an ornamental cherry tree is absolutely magnificent in spring. The tree brightens the first days of spring with abundant flowers in hues that range from white to pink.

The blooming only lasts about a week, but it will turn your garden in to a burst of color that signals that warmer weather is just about to come back.