Potomac Cherry Prunus x yedoensis
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- PROO-nus ye-doh-oh-EN-sis
- Description
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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:
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- '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'
- 'Afterglow', 'Akebono', 'Perpendens', 'Pink Shell', 'Shidare-Yoshino', 'Somei-Yoshino'
- Tags:
- 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'
- 'Afterglow', 'Akebono', 'Perpendens', 'Pink Shell', 'Shidare-Yoshino', 'Somei-Yoshino'
- Tags:
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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.
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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
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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
- 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
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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
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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.
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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.
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Bark:
- Bark Description:
- Glossy bark with prominent horizontal lenticels add winter interest
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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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
