Prunus serrulata is a deciduous flowering cherry tree native to China, Korea and Japan, grown worldwide for its spring blossom; the name often covers many ornamental cultivars such as 'Kwanzan', bred from it and related species. The key to growing it is full sun, well-drained soil and room to spread.
Family
Rosaceae (Rose family)
Grows as
Tree
Light
Full sun
Water
Water deeply during dry spells, especially in the first two years, and avoid soggy roots.
Soil
Well-drained, fertile loam; tolerates a range of pH but dislikes waterlogging.
Temperature
Hardy to about -25 °C; grows well in temperate climates with cold winters.
How easy
Moderate
Safety
Toxic: Leaves, bark, seeds and wilted or fallen foliage contain cyanogenic glycosides that can release cyanide when damaged.. Toxic to cats and dogs (ASPCA).
Edible
Yes, some parts
Native range
E. & S. China to N. Korea
Climate
temperate
About
Prunus serrulata or Japanese cherry is a species of cherry tree that grows wild in Japan, China, Korea and Vietnam. The term also refers to a cultivar produced from Prunus speciosa (Oshima cherry), a cherry tree endemic in Japan. Historically, the Japanese have developed many cultivars by selective breeding of cherry trees, which are produced by the complicated crossing of several wild species, and they are used for ornamental purposes all over the world. Of these, the cultivars produced by complex interspecific hybrids based on the Oshima cherry are also known as the Cerasus Sato-zakura Group.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Prunus serrulata by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.