Japanese cherry trees: planting, pruning and caring for

Botany

Japanese Cherries are trees and bushes that herald the arrival of spring by covering themselves with a multitude of pink or white flowers. They have deciduous foliage, which usually takes on beautiful hues in autumn. They include several different species: Prunus serrulata, Prunus x subhirtella, Prunus incisa, Prunus glandulosa… The most common species is Prunus serrulata, a tree native to Japan and China. It should not be confused with the Tibetan cherry, whose Latin name is very similar: Prunus serrula. In Japan, flowering cherries are known as Sakura.

The genus Prunus comprises around 250 species of trees and shrubs. It includes plums, peaches, almonds, apricots… and also the cherry laurel, Prunus laurocerasus, commonly grown as a hedge. All these plants belong to the large family of Rosaceae, which encompasses most fruit trees, as well as many horticultural and wild plants. Japanese cherries have been extensively hybridised, and today there are numerous horticultural varieties that produce more sophisticated flowers, sometimes double.

Japanese cherries have a rapid growth rate. They typically measure between 2 and 8 metres in height. Some have a compact habit and are well-suited for small gardens, such as Prunus glandulosa, which does not exceed 1.5 m in height and spread, while other varieties can reach 12 metres tall.

Japanese cherries have an upright habit, and over time, the branches and shoots tend to spread, giving the crown a rather horizontal, flattened shape. Some varieties have a much narrower form, with branches tightly against the trunk, as seen in Prunus ‘Amanogawa’. The habit can also be weeping, as in Prunus ‘Kiku Shidare Sakura’ or Prunus subhirtella ‘Pendula’. As for Prunus glandulosa, it forms a bushy shrub. Japanese cherries can be cultivated as bonsai: Prunus incisa ‘Kojo No Mai’ is one of the most suitable varieties for this purpose.

The Japanese cherry has beautiful decorative bark, smooth and marked with lenticels (pores on the bark that allow exchanges between the atmosphere and the plant), which gives it horizontal striations. The branches of the flowering cherry ‘Kojo No Mai’ are twisted: they grow in a zigzag pattern. Other species closely related to Japanese cherries, such as Prunus serrula or Prunus maackii, have exceptional barks.

The bark of Prunus serrulata

The Japanese cherry blooms as early as the beginning of spring, around April. The flowering usually appears before the leaves, sometimes at the same time as them. Prunus glandulosa is among the latest, often blooming in May. The Prunus ‘Accolade’ blooms early, as early as March. The Japanese Cherry is a symbol of ephemeral beauty, as the flowers last for a short time. However, it offers such a quantity of flowers that those that fall to the ground are also very decorative, sometimes forming real pink or white carpets at its base. The ideal may be to associate different varieties, both late and early, to enjoy them for much longer! The Prunus ‘Autumnalis Rosea’ stands out for its flowering that begins in autumn and can last until spring if temperatures are mild enough.

Prunus serrulata ‘Amagi Yoshino’, Prunus x subhirtella ‘Autumnalis Rosea’ (photo W Cutler) and Prunus glandulosa ‘Rosea Plena’ (photo V Paul W)

The Japanese cherry is covered in countless pink or white flowers in spring. A very pure hue that brings a touch of innocence and poetry to the garden. The flowers are so numerous that they cover everything! They hide the branches under a tender pink veil, extremely light.

The flowers of the Japanese Cherry are usually pale pink. The hue can also be more pronounced, dark pink, and there are varieties with white flowers, such as Prunus glandulosa ‘Alba Plena’. Sometimes, the flowers are pink and then lighten over time, becoming almost white. Prunus yedoensis has a superb white flowering, slightly pinkish. It has a very airy appearance, with the crown resembling a true cloud. The flowers can be solitary or gathered in clusters of up to five flowers.

Ordinarily, the flowers have five petals and five sepals. But there are also varieties with double, semi-double, or very double flowers. When the flowers have several rows of petals, they tend to resemble pom-poms. Those with only five petals have a very simple and elegant look. The stamens, located in the centre of the flower, are then clearly visible. In double-flowered varieties, the stamens have been replaced by additional petals. The flowers generally measure between 2 and 5 centimetres in diameter. Those of Prunus yedoensis are among the largest, while they are much smaller in Prunus glandulosa, measuring only between 0.5 and 1 centimetre in diameter. The flowers of Japanese cherries have an extremely delicate and light quality, very pure and refined. Some varieties are pleasantly fragrant, such as Prunus serrulata ‘Amanogawa’.

The leaves of the Japanese cherry are simple, elliptical, and serrated at the edges. They are arranged alternately on the branches (one leaf after another). They measure between 4 and 12 centimetres in length. The foliage of the Japanese cherry is deciduous: the tree therefore loses its leaves in autumn to produce new ones in spring. It remains decorative in winter thanks to its bark and unique architecture.

The foliage of Japanese cherries is usually green, but in the variety ‘Royal Burgundy’, it has a beautiful dark purple hue, very intense. The leaves tend to change colour throughout the seasons. In some varieties, they are yellow or bronze when young in spring. They then turn green in summer and often take on stunning red or orange colours in autumn.

The foliage of Prunus serrulata ‘Kalmthout’ (photo Jean-Pol Grandmont), the purple foliage of Prunus serrulata ‘Royal Burgundy’ (photo Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz) and the autumn foliage of Prunus ‘Okame’

After flowering, Japanese cherries (botanical species) produce small round fruits that resemble cherries but are not edible. They generally measure less than one centimetre in diameter and consist of little flesh but a large stone. Most horticultural varieties are sterile and therefore do not produce fruit.

The main varieties of Japanese Cherry Trees

The most popular varieties

Our favourite varieties

Other varieties to discover

Prunus serrulata Amanogawa - Japanese Cherry

This Japanese cherry tree stands out for its very upright, erect habit. It offers a tender pink and fragrant flowering in spring. Its foliage takes on beautiful colours in autumn!

• Flowering time May, June
• Height at maturity 6 m

See the product sheet

Prunus serrulata Kanzan - Japanese Cherry

Prunus 'Kanzan' is a tree with an upright, erect habit. In spring, it is covered with a multitude of double flowers, a deep pink. The young leaves have a lovely bronze hue. It is one of the most common varieties.

• Flowering time May, June
• Height at maturity 6 m

See the product sheet

Prunus Accolade - Cherry

This tree often offers very beautiful pink and semi-double flowers as early as the end of winter. It has a rather spreading habit. Its leaves take on lovely orange hues in autumn.

• Flowering time April, May
• Height at maturity 5 m

See the product sheet

Prunus glandulosa Alba Plena - Dwarf flowering Almond

This cherry tree is appreciated for its elegant white and double flowering. It has a very compact habit and adapts well to pot cultivation. The flowers are solitary or grouped in pairs.

• Flowering time June
• Height at maturity 1,50 m

See the product sheet

Prunus serrulata Kiku-Shidare-Zakura - Japanese Cherry

This flowering cherry tree has the particularity of having a weeping habit. In spring, it bears numerous double pink flowers, gathered in bouquets, which lighten over time. It is also known by the name 'Cheal's Weeping' (synonym).

• Flowering time May, June
• Height at maturity 3,50 m

See the product sheet

Prunus serrulata Royal Burgundy - Japanese Cherry

This Japanese cherry tree is appreciated for its dark purple foliage. Its double and intense pink flowers offer a lovely contrast with the foliage!

• Flowering time May, June
• Height at maturity 5 m

See the product sheet

Prunus incisa Kojo-No-Mai - Cherry

This is a small bush with pale pink flowering. The leaves are initially yellow-green in spring, before turning green and then taking on a red hue in autumn. It can be cultivated as a bonsai!

• Flowering time April to June
• Height at maturity 2,50 m

See the product sheet

Prunus Autumnalis Rosea - Cherry

This bush has the particularity of flowering from autumn to spring, offering many tender pink, semi-double flowers.

• Height at maturity 5 m

See the product sheet

Prunus subhirtella Pendula Rubra - Wheeping Cherry

This is a tree with a weeping habit that bears simple pink flowers in spring. Its foliage takes on beautiful autumn colours. Particularly elegant, we recommend planting it in isolation.

• Flowering time April, May
• Height at maturity 4 m

See the product sheet

Prunus glandulosa Rosea Plena - Dwarf flowering Almond

This bush resembles the variety 'Alba Plena', except that its flowers are pink rather than white. With its compact and bushy habit, it is perfect for mass planting.

• Flowering time May, June
• Height at maturity 1,50 m

See the product sheet

Prunus subhirtella Fukubana - Winter-flowering Cherry

This Japanese cherry tree bears a pink, semi-double flowering in spring. Its leaves take on beautiful colours in autumn. It flowers early, sometimes as early as March.

• Flowering time April, May
• Height at maturity 3,50 m

See the product sheet

You can also enjoy other trees and bushes that resemble Japanese cherries and also offer white or pink flowering in spring: discover the flowering almond trees (Prunus triloba), the flowering peach trees (Prunus persica), the flowering plum trees (Prunus cerasifera) or the Tibetan cherries (Prunus serrula)…

Young plantation

Where to plant?

It is important to choose the location of your flowering Cherry tree carefully, as this will determine its longevity and resistance to diseases. Give it enough space and optimal growing conditions to enjoy it for many years! Plant it in direct but not scorching sunlight. If you live in the Mediterranean region, prefer a slightly shaded position, at least during the hottest hours of the afternoon.

Place it in cool, well-draining soil. The Japanese cherry does not like stagnant moisture, which encourages the onset of diseases. If you live in an area with heavy rainfall, choose to plant on a mound or slope to allow water to drain away. Similarly, if your soil is heavy and clayey, we recommend improving drainage by adding gravel or pumice at the time of planting.

Avoid planting the Japanese Cherry in distinctly acidic soil. It prefers neutral or slightly calcareous soils. It also needs deep soil that is fairly rich in organic matter. We advise digging a sufficiently large hole when planting and adding well-decomposed compost before placing the plant.

Choose a sheltered position from the wind, as it may damage the flowering of the earliest varieties. The flowers are quite sensitive to cold winds. Allow enough space for the future development of the tree: some Japanese Cherry trees can reach up to ten metres in spread… Choose a variety suitable for the size of your garden!

Feel free to plant it in isolation, for example in the middle of a short grass meadow: this will highlight its architecture and flowering. You can also choose to grow it in a hedge, with other bushes, or in alignment. If you plant them in groups, gathering several Japanese cherries, the flowering will be even more spectacular in spring! It will also find its place at the back of a flower bed. Finally, the most compact varieties, such as ‘Kojo No Mai’, can be grown in pots, and placed for example on a terrace. Choose a large container and provide a drainage layer at the bottom. The different varieties of Prunus incisa (including ‘Kojo No Mai’) can also be planted in rockeries!

→ Learn more about the pot cultivation of the ornamental Cherry

When to plant?

It is best to plant the Japanese cherry in autumn. This allows it time to settle in before winter so it can bloom in spring. If your bush is in a container, it can be planted throughout the year, except during frost or extreme heat.

How to plant?

If you live in an area where it rains often, we recommend planting the Japanese cherry on a mound to avoid stagnant moisture, which is conducive to the development of diseases.

1. Soak the root ball in a basin filled with water.
2. Dig a planting hole at least 60 centimetres wide and deep. You can install a drainage layer at the bottom (especially if your soil is heavy and clayey) by placing gravel or pumice to allow water to drain away. Also add some well-decomposed compost.
3. Gently untangle the roots by scraping the soil from the root ball.
4. Place the root ball, positioning the collar of the plant level with the soil.
5. Install a stake.
6. Cover with soil and firm down.
7. We recommend creating a watering basin around the base of the tree. This will facilitate watering.
8. Water generously.
9. You can add a layer of mulch at the base of the tree.

During the weeks following planting, water regularly to keep the soil moist. Be vigilant during the first year; do not hesitate to water when the substrate becomes dry.

If you wish to grow your Japanese cherry in a pot, choose a sufficiently large container, then place a layer of gravel at the bottom to allow for drainage. Add a mix of potting soil and garden soil, to which you will add a bit of sand. Install the plant and then water.

Japanese cherry trees on the Meguro River in Tokyo (photo Aw1805)

Maintenance

We advise you to water your Japanese Cherry regularly during the first few years. Afterwards, you can water occasionally during periods of intense heat. Don’t hesitate to mulch by placing a layer of Ramial Chipped Wood (RCW) or dead leaves at the base of the tree. This will help keep the soil cool for longer. You can also add well-decomposed compost in autumn to nourish the plant and encourage flowering. The Japanese Cherry needs to be staked during the first few years to ensure that the trunk remains upright.

As much as possible, it is preferable not to prune the Japanese Cherry, as pruning creates wounds that can serve as entry points for diseases. If your bush has a balanced and harmonious habit, avoid intervening. It is important to have chosen a variety whose mature size is suitable for your garden, so you do not need to limit its growth by pruning. If necessary, you can perform light pruning by shortening the branches at their tips and removing those that are dead, damaged, or poorly positioned. Preferably do this at the end of summer or in autumn. Use disinfected tools and, after pruning, apply a sealant to the wounds. This will prevent the appearance of gum (a secretion of “resin”, amber in colour, on the wounds).

→ Learn more with Ingrid in our tutorial: How to prune a Japanese cherry?

The Japanese Cherry is susceptible to moniliosis. This disease, caused by a fungus, is favoured by humid weather in spring. The branches dry out, and the leaves and flowers wilt. Immediately remove and burn any damaged branches. It can also be affected by Coryneum, a fungal disease also known as Shot Hole. The foliage appears covered with small holes surrounded by brown spots. Cut and burn the affected parts of the plant, then treat with sulphur. The flowering cherry is also susceptible to bacterial canker, caused by a bacterium of the genus Pseudomonas. The bark of the tree becomes sunken, deformed, and releases gum. As a preventive measure, you can protect your trees from diseases and pests by applying tree whitewash, made from lime.

Japanese cherries are also susceptible to armillaria, a serious disease caused by a fungus. This attacks the roots and the base of the trunk, causing them to rot. It primarily affects already weakened trees and is favoured by wet soils (hence the importance of drainage!). There is no treatment for this disease, only preventive measures (avoid injuring the tree, carry out clean pruning, and apply sealant to promote healing). If your flowering cherry is affected, it is better to remove it and then remove the affected soil to a depth of about fifty centimetres. Avoid replanting another tree in the same spot, as the fungus remains present in the soil.

Black aphids or scale insects may also attack the Japanese Cherry. Aphids settle on the foliage and extract sap by piercing the epidermis. This weakens the plant and damages the leaves, which tend to curl and dry out. Aphids also promote the appearance of sooty mould, a non-harmful but unsightly disease: the leaves become covered with a black deposit resembling soot. To combat aphids, you can treat by spraying black soap on the foliage.

→ Learn more in our fact sheet Diseases and pests of flowering cherries.

Multiplication

Grafting

The Japanese cherry tree is propagated by grafting. The usual rootstock used is the wild cherry Prunus avium. You can graft in bud in summer, between July and September. The cleft or chip grafting is done in early spring, in March or April.

1. To graft in bud, start by preparing the rootstock by making a T-shaped cut on the trunk, about ten centimetres high. You need to open the bark without cutting into the wood (you will feel resistance when the blade reaches the wood).
2. Next, cut a branch from the variety you wish to propagate (scion). Take a well-formed bud from it by gently incising the bark. There should be no wood at the back of the scion; if there is, remove it.
3. Then, lift the split of the rootstock and place the bud in it. Trim the top edge if it protrudes.
4. Bind the grafting point, leaving the bud exposed. It should start to develop in the following spring.

→ Learn more in Ingrid’s tutorial: How to propagate the Japanese cherry tree?

Association

Create a beautiful spring scene by pairing your Japanese cherry trees with other plants that bloom at the same time. At the end of winter, the garden will awaken, offering a stunning display of colour! For example, choose early flowering bulbs, such as muscari, tulips, daffodils, or hyacinths… and possibly other spring perennials, such as anemone nemorosa. Conversely, you can choose to stagger the bloom times, allowing for a longer enjoyment of flowers. The effect may be less spectacular, but the plants will take turns blooming, keeping the garden in flower for a more extended period! In any case, do not hesitate to plant Japanese cherry trees in the background of a flower bed. They will add height behind smaller perennials. Add plants with decorative foliage, such as ferns, hostas, or grasses.

Plant spring bulbs at the foot of your Japanese cherry tree! Prunus serrulata (photo Kropsoq) / Muscari / Erythronium tuolumnense ‘White Beauty’ / Scene Erythronium ‘Pagoda’, muscari, and tulips (photo iBulb – Steven Bemelman)

With their spectacular flowering and architecture, Japanese cherry trees are perfect as standalone specimens. They do not particularly need other plants to accompany them; on the contrary, isolating them allows for greater emphasis on their beauty. This is what we recommend for the larger varieties, while the more compact, bushy types will find it easier to fit into a flower bed.

You can also combine different varieties of Japanese cherry trees to enjoy their blooms for longer! The flowering of a Japanese cherry tree is quite ephemeral, but by pairing early and later varieties, you can easily enjoy their flowers for several weeks! The Prunus subhirtella ‘Autumnalis Rosea’ has the advantage of producing flowers as early as autumn and continuing to bloom into spring if the weather is mild enough! The variety ‘Accolade’ can bloom as early as March, while Prunus glandulosa is more late-flowering… Feel free to mix varieties to enjoy them for longer!

Why not take advantage of flowering cherries to create a Japanese-style flower bed? You can create a Japanese atmosphere by integrating a flowering cherry among ferns, cloud-pruned pines, Japanese maples, bamboos, or Hakonechloa macra… You can add a few ericaceous plants (azaleas, camellias…), but do not overcrowd the space with plants; the effect should be very zen, allowing the eye to move freely. Ideally, create a partly mineral decor (by adding some rocks, possibly stepping stones, a gravel area…) and aquatic features (pond, fountain).

Enjoy the flowering cherry to create a Japanese atmosphere in the garden! Athyrium niponicum ‘Pewter Lace’ / Acer palmatum ‘Atropurpureum’ (photo Jean-Pol Grandmont) / Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’ / Phyllostachys aurea (photo La Gaviotera and Xavier Claise) / Prunus yedoensis ‘Shidare Yoshino’

Integrate your Japanese cherry tree into a shrub bed or hedge, alongside other plants with decorative foliage or spring flowering. Plant it next to viburnums, hawthorns, hornbeams, or evergreen ceanothus… Also enjoy the fragrant flowering of Viburnum burkwoodii! In a wild hedge, consider integrating a few evergreen shrubs, such as laurustinus (Viburnum tinus), for example. Opt for bushy Japanese cherry trees: Prunus glandulosa, Prunus ‘Kojo No Mai’…

Take advantage of the Japanese cherry tree to grow a plant against its trunk! Plant it at its base and direct the stems towards the tree’s crown. You can choose a persistent clematis, such as Clematis armandii, which will be decorative and well visible even in winter when the cherry tree has lost its leaves. You can also opt for jasmine, honeysuckle, or a climbing rose…

→ Discover also 10 ideas for pairing with the Japanese cherry tree with Leïla’s advice!

Did you know?

• As bonsai

It is possible to create bonsais with Japanese cherry trees. Choose a variety like ‘Kojo No Mai’, as it has a compact habit, is suitable for pot cultivation, and its branches are twisted, making it easier to achieve beautiful bonsai shapes.

• Hanami

This is the Japanese custom of admiring the flowers of Japanese cherry trees, known as Sakura, in spring. It is a true ritual during which the Japanese gather in parks and picnic in the shade of the cherry trees. This event lasts for two weeks, but the start date obviously varies depending on the weather: it can be tracked through a kind of “weather report”, the Sakura zensen, which announces flowering forecasts. In Japan, the most appreciated cherry tree is the Yoshino, Prunus yedoensis.

• In cooking

The flowers of Japanese cherry trees are edible. In Japan, they are used to flavour dishes, desserts, herbal teas, or ice creams… The flowers are often preserved in salt, and then take the name shiozakura. You can also use the petals as they are to decorate dishes. The leaves can also be used: in Japan, they are prepared in brine and are sometimes used to flavour rice.

• A highly symbolic flowering!

The cherry blossom holds great cultural significance in Japan. It is a symbol of ephemeral beauty and impermanence. With its extremely fragile and delicate, poetic appearance, it also represents the beautiful yet very brief nature of life. It is a symbol for the Samurai and was widely used during the Second World War to rally the Japanese people and encourage soldiers to die for their country. The government reinforced the belief that the souls of soldiers would be reincarnated as cherry trees. For students, the cherry blossom also symbolises success in exams.

A Prunus pendula in front of the Jiunji temple, in Koshu, Japan (photo Sakaori)