Flowering Cherry (ornamental Prunus)
Grown purely for its spectacular spring blossom display (varieties like 'Kanzan' are ornamental only, not for fruit), typically flowering from late winter into spring. Standard trees generally settle around 5-6m, though some can reach 10m+ unpruned; dwarf cultivars stay to 1.5-2m and suit small gardens or large pots. Best planted bare-root in winter, in full sun sheltered from strong wind. Prune only after flowering and avoid wounding the tree in wet weather, since silver leaf disease infects through fresh wounds.
- Sun
- full sun
- Water
- moderate
- Spacing
- 450cm
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Grows in
- Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Tasman, Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago, Invercargill / Southland
- Mature height
- 6m
- Flowering season
- Aug, Sep, Oct
- Attracts wildlife
- Bees
- Evergreen
- No, deciduous
- Common diseases
- Silver leaf, Bacterial canker, Powdery mildew
- Common pests
- Aphids, Leafroller caterpillars, Scale insects
When to plant by region
In Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson and Tasman: June-August. In Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago and Invercargill / Southland: June-July.
Growing stages
Planting & establishmentBare-root, winter (June-August)
- Best planted bare-root in winter, in full sun sheltered from strong wind
- Avoid wounding the tree in wet weather, since silver leaf disease infects through fresh wounds
- Check the mature size of the variety; standard trees generally settle around 5-6m while dwarf cultivars stay to 1.5-2m
Early growthFirst 1-2 years
- Watch for aphids, leafroller caterpillars and scale insects on new growth
- Prune only after flowering to avoid unnecessary wounds
FloweringLate winter into spring (August-October)
- Spectacular blossom display is purely ornamental; varieties like 'Kanzan' don't produce fruit
- Bees visit the blossom; avoid spraying during flowering
- Bacterial canker and powdery mildew can appear on stressed trees, especially after wet weather
Maturity
- Continue pruning only after flowering, in dry weather, to keep silver leaf infection risk low
- Established trees put on their spectacular display with little further intervention