Japanese flowering cherry trees
Asteraceae family
Japanese flowering cherry trees (Prunus serrulata spp.) are ornamental deciduous trees grown for their beautiful pinkish-red blossoms during the spring months. These fast-growing (1 to 2 feet per year), but short-lived trees are best grown in areas with full sun, loamy and well-drained soil, and temperatures that don't dip below minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit. The leaves, stems, and seeds of cherry trees are toxic to pets and humans, so it's best to plant them away from areas that children and pets frequent.
Light
Japanese cherry trees grow best in full sun, which means it needs at least six hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day to produce optimal blossoming. However, the tree can also tolerate partial shade.
How to Care for Cherry Blossoms::
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Here are the main care requirements to keep your Japanese flowering cherry tree growing healthy:
- Plant Japanese flowering cherry trees in the early fall, well before the first frost, to give them time to establish a strong root system before cold winter temperatures.
- Choose a planting site with full sun and loamy, well-drained soil with plenty of humus.
- Back-fill the planting hole with a mix of soil and compost.
- Water often enough to keep the soil evenly moist, as Japanese flowering cherry trees are not drought-tolerant.
- Grow in USDA hardiness zones 5b to 8a to provide the right conditions for winter dormancy.