Description
Properties of a Native Wild Cherry Blossom Tree
- They are very popular flowering tree
- They are planted in gardens and along avenues, often in communal areas and parks due to their eye catching flowering properties come Spring. .
- They are a deciduous broadleaf tree with a shiny reddish brown bark.
- Leaves are dark green, oval and toothed in shape with pointed tips.
- Leaves fade to orange or deep crimson in. Autumn before dropping off.
- They produce white cup shaped flowers in Spring which are a great source of nectar for pollinating bees.
- After pollination by insects, these flowers will develop into red cherries in Autumn.
- Fruits are bitter but can be used to make jams but are often a very valuable food source for birds and other small mammals.
- They are moderately fast growing, they can grow between 2-3ft a year.
- Overall, they can grow between 60-100ft tall.
- They will grow will in full sun or partial shade in a well drained soil.
- They are hardy in cold weather.
- Along with the Native Cherry trees, there are many different varieties including Prunus Kanzan, Prunus Plena, Prunus Shirotae, Prunus Autumnalis Rosea, Prunus Nigra all with different colour flowers, leaves and barks.
- Choosing a variety often depends on personal preference and the space available.
Benefits of Native Cherry Blossom trees to Biodiversity & Ecosystems
Planting a cherry blossom tree is a fantastic way of helping the environment and encouraging biodiversity in your garden. A single cherry tree can provide food and shelter for so many life forms, from birds and mammals, through to lots of different species of insects throughout the entire year. Spring flowering of the white cup shaped flowers provides a source of nectar for pollinating bees, the crown shaped head of the tree provides a home to nesting birds and then the abundant cherries that appear in Autumn provide a valuable food source for birds.
How & When to Plant your Tree
- Cherry blossom trees can be planted from pots all year round or as bare root plants from November to March.
- You can learn how to choose between bare root or potted plants in our Resources section or by clicking Here.
- We grow our Native Cherry trees here in our native Nursery.
- When planting bare root plants, it is best to break up the soil really well and loose.
- Dig the hole and place the tree with the roots exposed in the hole.
- Be careful not to damage the Roots.
- Place the tree in the hole up to the collar of the tree.
- Shovel back in the loosed soil and firm the plant in place by walking in the plant.
- A good guide to follow is to have the soil loose enough for the water to get in, but not loose enough for the air to get in.
- To view a video of how to plant a bare root plant, Click here
After care for your Tree.
If planted in dry weather, trees should be watered regularly to ensure growth. We would also recommend watering id the first Summer after planting is a dry and hot Summer.
Ideally, trees should be staked and secured with a Timber Stake and Tree Tie Combo to give them added protection from the wind. Be mindful to plant cherry blossom trees in higher ground where they are not as susceptible to frost. Frost could damager the flower buds in Spring which would hinder the production of cherry fruits later in the Summer. Also note that cherry fruits begin to appear usually around year 4 after planting and you will most likely not achieve fruit in the first few years after planting.
