Cherry blossom trees
Flowering cherry blossom trees are the unchallenged queen of spring-flowering trees. Everyone is familiar with the common varieties – trees reaching about 6 metres when mature with a spreading, weeping or upright growth habit. The branches become covered with showy 5-petalled pink or white flowers between March and May. Flowers are borne in their thousands, either single or double, to produce the most stunning and vibrant display, either on bare branches or against long, pointed, serrated leaves. To the Japanese, cherry blossom signifies the beauty and fragility of life – intensely beautiful but short, much like their spring display. In fact, flowering cherries are so popular in Japan they have even been turned into an ice cream flavour! Cherry blossom trees are easy to grow in a reasonably fertile soil and an open, sunny location. Avoid planting too deeply or in mid-winter - early autumn is the best time. Stake firmly when planting: our tree planting kit may come in useful. Prunus Kanzan is one of the most popular varieties with double pink flowers in April, bronzy foliage and stiffly ascending branches. For a narrow tree choose Prunus ‘Amanogawa’ while Prunus ‘Tai Haku’ has a spreading growth habit with large white flowers in April.