Japanese Flowering Cherry
Prunus (PROO-nus)
Japanese Flowering Cherry is a small, deciduous, showy tree that grows up to 36', is rounded, spreading, has stiffly ascending branches, and is in the rose family. Young trees have a vase-shaped habit that becomes more spreading with a rounded crown into maturity. These trees prefer sandy to clay moist well-drained loams in full sun but will tolerate light shade. This plant has viral and fungal diseases and is susceptible to borers and scale. This tree blooms with abundant clusters of double pink blooms in the spring and is considered one of the showiest of the Japanese cherries. Fruit ripens in the summer. When the leaves fill out they provide excellent shade. Fall leaf color is usually orange-bronze. Grafted trees may only reach 6.5' tall, but grown on their own roots, they will reach the full height. This plant is the domestic cherry in Japan and is called 'Sato Zakura' which means "domestic cherry." Use this tree as a specimen, in groups, as a street tree, in parks or other public areas. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Potential diseases include leaf spot, dieback, leaf curl, powdery mildew, root rot and fireblight. Potential insects include aphids, scale, borers, leafhoppers, caterpillars, tent caterpillars and Japanese beetles. Spider mites may also be troublesome. Quick ID Hints: Large, pink, double flowers in pendulous clusters of 3-5 Leat teeth with slender stalks bearing ga gland Large, wart-like glands (2-4) on petiole look like spider eyes
Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 71 attributes.