Prunus Umineko - Japanese Flowering Cherry

Prunus Umineko Cherry Tree is a cherry hybrid that was achieved by crossing Prunus incisa and Prunus speciose. The ornamental Prunus Umineko tree was created by Collingwood Ingram in the 1920s. Interestingly, the same cross was also made by Mr. Doorenbos in Holland about the same time. An almost identical tree was obtained and named the ‘Snow Goose’. The word ‘umineko’ is Japanese and translates into ‘seagull’. It refers to the plant's abundant white flowers that are believed to resemble a graceful white bird. The flowers appear in abundance starting in mid-April. The blooms hug the tree’s branches tightly. Each white flower is singular and measures 4 centimeters in diameter and features reddish-pink stamens.

The soft green leaves start to appear on the tree at the same time as the flowers. In the spring, the leaves are a light shade of green but as summer progresses they start to darken to a darker green. In the autumn, the foliage turns brilliant shades of red, purple, and orange before falling from the tree.

The small deciduous tree grows to a height of just 9 meters in a regular columnar growth habit. These trees are shaped into multi-stem trees and look ideal planted in any corner of the garden. It usually grows to a height of 7 meters with a canopy width of about 3 meters. The tree will typically take between ten to twenty years to reach full maturity. During the mid-summer months, the Umineko Cherry tree can be pruned to maintain its shape and to remove dead branches.

Plant this picturesque small tree in a sunny location for the best flower production. The tree will tolerate partial shade but its flower production and the intensity of its autumn colours will be greatly reduced.  It prefers well-draining, fertile soil that is moist but not overly waterlogged. The tree will tolerate alkaline to acidic soil. During the first year of growth, keep the soil evenly moist so the tree can develop a strong and diverse root system. Once established it is moderately drought tolerant.

The Umineko Cherry is an excellent ornamental tree to add to any sized garden. It was bestowed the Award of Garden Merit (AGM) from the Royal Horticultural Society. The hardy little tree looks lovely from spring through autumn and is sure to be greatly admired. Lots more Prunus (Cherry) trees in our extensive Fruiting Trees collection.