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Prunus x yedoensis

Phonetic Spelling
PROO-nus YED-oh-en-sis
Description

Yoshino Cherry is a small deciduous grafted flowering cherry tree native to Japan.  This plant is sometimes cited as Prunus serrulata 'Yedoensis', but parentage and origin are unknown.

It works well as a street or shade tree in urban landscapes as it does not grow too large.  Plant as a specimen or in small groups in a lawn or near a patio.  It is the most commonly planted cherry tree in the Washington D.C. area.  It is espeically attracitve used as a foundation plant with red brick walls, contrasting the white and red.

This plant is confused vegetatively with the Kwanzan Cherry which has strong, steeply ascending branches, double pink flowers, wart-like glands that are apart from the blade about 80%=90% of the time, and a conspicuous slender stalked gland borne on the teeth. Yoshino Cherry has a broader canopy with 70%-80% of glands in touch with the blade.

Seasons of Interest:

Foliage: Fall, yellow Bloom: Early spring, March-April;  Bark: Winter

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:  This plant has viral and fungal disease problems, and is susceptible to borers and scale.  This tree is frequently damaged by deer.

Quick ID Hints:

  • Deciduous cherry tree with snow-white spring flowers
  • Leaf petiole with large wart-like glands in contact with blade margin
  • Leaves serrate bearing short-stalked glands

 

 

See this plant in the following landscapes:
Deck Garden Lush Foundation Planting
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Afterglow'
  • 'Akebono'
    Soft pink semi-doubles flowers fade to white
  • 'Perpendens'
  • 'Pink Shell'
  • 'Shidare-Yoshino'
    Weeping
  • 'Somei-Yoshino'
    Popular in Japan, single flowers pale pink fade to white
'Afterglow', 'Akebono', 'Perpendens', 'Pink Shell', 'Shidare-Yoshino', 'Somei-Yoshino'
Tags:
#fragrant#showy flowers#deciduous#small tree#fragrant flowers#heat tolerant#white flowers#winter interest#fall interest#high maintenance#flowering tree#street tree#fast growing#fantz#flowers early spring#larval host plant#food source summer#humidity tolerant#bird friendly#butterfly friendly#problem for cats#problem for dogs#problem for horses#wildlife friendly#cpp
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Afterglow'
  • 'Akebono'
    Soft pink semi-doubles flowers fade to white
  • 'Perpendens'
  • 'Pink Shell'
  • 'Shidare-Yoshino'
    Weeping
  • 'Somei-Yoshino'
    Popular in Japan, single flowers pale pink fade to white
'Afterglow', 'Akebono', 'Perpendens', 'Pink Shell', 'Shidare-Yoshino', 'Somei-Yoshino'
Tags:
#fragrant#showy flowers#deciduous#small tree#fragrant flowers#heat tolerant#white flowers#winter interest#fall interest#high maintenance#flowering tree#street tree#fast growing#fantz#flowers early spring#larval host plant#food source summer#humidity tolerant#bird friendly#butterfly friendly#problem for cats#problem for dogs#problem for horses#wildlife friendly#cpp
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Prunus
    Family:
    Rosaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Woody
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Japan
    Wildlife Value:
    Fruits attract birds and tree is larval host to butterflies.
    Dimensions:
    Height: 30 ft. 0 in. - 40 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 20 ft. 0 in. - 50 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Perennial
    Tree
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Habit/Form:
    Arching
    Open
    Rounded
    Spreading
    Vase
    Growth Rate:
    Rapid
    Maintenance:
    High
    Texture:
    Medium
  • 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
    High Organic Matter
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Shallow Rocky
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Moist
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Black
    Fruit Value To Gardener:
    Showy
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Summer
    Fruit Type:
    Drupe
    Fruit Length:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Width:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Description:
    Small plack drupes 1/2" diameter
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Pink
    White
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Corymb
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Fragrant
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Spring
    Flower Petals:
    4-5 petals/rays
    Flower Description:
    Flowers are pure or snow-white in color for 2-3 weeks. Inflorescence is a congested corymb. it is 5-6 flowered. Flowers have a slight almond fragrant.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Leaf Shape:
    Elliptical
    Ovate
    Leaf Margin:
    Serrate
    Hairs Present:
    Yes
    Leaf Length:
    3-6 inches
    Leaf Description:
    Bright green leaves are alternate, simple, elliptic, acuminate, rotund to broadly cuneate, serrate with inconspicuous short-stalked glands borne on tooth apex, and veins are pubescent below. Petiole bears 2 or more large wart-like glands on petiole apex, one or more glands are commonly in contact with the blade base or on lower blade margin. Leaves are 2.5-4.5 inches in size and have a yellow to gold fall color.
  • Bark:
    Bark Description:
    Glossy bark with prominent horizontal lenticels add winter interest
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Lawn
    Patio
    Landscape Theme:
    Asian Garden
    Butterfly Garden
    Cottage Garden
    Design Feature:
    Flowering Tree
    Foundation Planting
    Shade Tree
    Small groups
    Small Tree
    Specimen
    Street Tree
    Attracts:
    Butterflies
    Songbirds
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Heat
    Humidity
    Urban Conditions
    Problems:
    Messy
    Problem for Cats
    Problem for Dogs
    Problem for Horses