Weeping Higan Cherry Prunus x subhirtella 'Pendula'
Other plants called Weeping Higan Cherry:
Previously known as:
- Prunus pendula
- Prunus subhirtella var. pendula
- Phonetic Spelling
- PROO-nis sub-HIR-tel-uh
- Description
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Weeping Higan Cherry is a weeping flowering cherry tree from Japan. It is deciduous, grafted, and grows up to 40 feet tall and wide with pendulous branches that are ascending, slender, pendulous, scabrate, and have double pink flowers in umbrels of 2-5 blooms in spring. It prefers moist, well-drained soils of average fertility in full sun, but is adaptable to poorer soils, compaction and dry soils once established. This plant has no good fall color. Several cultivars of this species are pendulous and part of the Pendula Group of cultvars.
The trees are grafted onto Prunus avium rootstock at 4-5 ft in height. Be sure to prune off any growth at or below the graft as it will not have a weeping form. Weeping branches can be pruned shorter to allow for walking and mowing under or for plantings under the tree.
Problems: Susceptible to many viral and fungal diseases and insects. Potential diseases include cankers, black knot, 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:
- Deciduous weeping tree with pink spring flowers
- Leaves with large wart-like glands on petiole and blade margin
- Twigs and petiole scabrous (rough, like sandpaper)
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Prunus
- Family:
- Roseaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Grafting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Japan
- Dimensions:
- Height: 15 ft. 0 in. - 40 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 15 ft. 0 in. - 25 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Perennial
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Oval
- Weeping
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 24-60 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Black
- Red/Burgundy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- 1/3 inch red, glossy ovoid fruits are usually sparsely produced and mature to a black color.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Umbel
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Cup
- Saucer
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Description:
- Single or double flowers are light pink in pendulous clusters appearing before leaves in early spring and lasting about one week. Inflorescence is a congested corymb with elongated pedicels and very short rachis that give the appearance of an umbel.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Oblong
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Doubly Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Dark green shiny, simple, alternate, ovate to lanceolate to oblong-ovate, cuneate, and have doubly serrate margins and acuminate apex. They have a short petiole that is short, scabrate, and bear two or more large wart-like glands on the petiole apex, but may have more glands intact with the blade base or on the blade margin near the base. Yellow fall color. Leaf size is 2-4 inches long by 1-2 inches wide.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Gray
- Light Brown
- Surface/Attachment:
- Exfoliating
- Lenticels
- Bark Description:
- Single trunk, copper with lenticles, gray plates exfoliating as it ages.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Long, thin, weeping unbranched stems.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Pond
- Landscape Theme:
- Asian Garden
- Water Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Flowering Tree
- Small groups
- Specimen
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Compaction
- Dry Soil
- Heat
- Poor Soil
- Problems:
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
