Plant Guide

Other Names:  Oriental Cherry, Japanese Cherry

Description:

An old favorite flowering cherry variety from Japan, this cultivar is covered in dazzling double light pink flowers in early spring before the leaves; stunning bronze bark, good fall color and spreading habit; needs full sun and well-drained soil

Ornamental Features

Shirofugen Flowering Cherry is clothed in stunning clusters of fragrant white flowers with pink overtones along the branches in early spring, which emerge from distinctive rose flower buds before the leaves. It has dark green deciduous foliage which emerges coppery-bronze in spring. The serrated pointy leaves turn coppery-bronze in fall. The smooth dark red bark adds an interesting dimension to the landscape.

Landscape Attributes

Shirofugen Flowering Cherry is a deciduous tree with a more or less rounded form. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This tree will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Disease

Shirofugen Flowering Cherry is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Shade

Planting & Growing

Shirofugen Flowering Cherry will grow to be about 35 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 30 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 4 feet from the ground, and should not be planted underneath power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 50 years or more.

This tree should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.