Flowering cherry 'Amanogawa'

Sun

Full sun gives the best flowering; tolerates light partial shade.

Water

Keep the root zone evenly moist while establishing. Once established, water deeply during prolonged dry spells; avoid waterlogged ground.

Soil

Fertile, well-drained soil that retains some moisture. Tolerates chalk and a range of soil pH, but struggles in persistently wet or severely compacted soil.

Height

15-25 ft (4.5-7.5 m)

Spread

4-8 ft (1.2-2.4 m), sometimes widening to 10 ft (3 m) with age

Flowers

Mid- to late spring; clusters of lightly scented, semi-double pale pink flowers, fading nearly white.

Foliage

Deciduous, toothed leaves emerge bronze-green, become green in summer, and turn yellow, orange or red in autumn.

Growth

Moderate

Care needed

Medium

• Pollinators
• Wildlife
• Low allergen
• Fragrant

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   7 ft (2 m)

2. After 1 year

   7 ft (2.2 m)

3. After 2 years

   8 ft (2.4 m)

4. After 3 years

   9 ft (2.6 m)

5. After 5 years

   10 ft (3 m)

About 20 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Toxic

Growth rate

Moderate

• Plant with the root flare at soil level and the graft union above the soil.
• Water deeply through dry periods for the first two growing seasons.
• Apply 2-3 in (5-8 cm) of organic mulch over the root area, keeping it away from the trunk.
• Stake only if the root ball moves in wind; use a low, flexible tie and remove it once the tree is anchored.
• Feed in spring only if growth is poor or a soil test shows a deficiency; avoid heavy nitrogen feeding.
• Remove shoots arising from below the graft union or from the roots.

Pruning. Prune as little as possible, preserving the upright framework. If needed, remove dead, damaged or crossing branches in dry weather in summer; avoid routine winter pruning because it increases the risk of silver leaf and bacterial canker.

Autumn

Plant while the soil is workable and not waterlogged; in very cold climates, wait until spring.

Early spring

Check stakes and ties, refresh mulch, and remove any rootstock suckers.

Spring

Enjoy the blossom and inspect emerging leaves for aphids.

Summer

Water during prolonged drought and carry out any necessary pruning in dry weather.

Autumn

Collect fallen leaves if leaf disease has been present.

Winter

Check young trunks for animal damage and loosen any tight tree ties; leave routine pruning until summer.

• Use as a vertical accent in a small lawn or front garden without the broad canopy of many flowering cherries.
• Plant beside a path or entrance, allowing space for the mature crown rather than placing it tight against a wall.
• Repeat at generous intervals along a boundary for spring blossom and an upright rhythm.
• Underplant with spring bulbs and low perennials that tolerate increasing summer shade.

Garden styles it suits: Japanese, Urban city garden, Small-space, Architectural minimal, Cottage garden and Romantic rose garden.

Plant it with: Snowdrops, Crocuses, Hellebores, Epimediums, Hardy geraniums and Japanese painted ferns.

Wildlife: The flowers can provide pollen and nectar for visiting insects, although semi-double blooms are generally less accessible than single-flowered cherries. Branches offer perching and possible nesting cover; fruit is sparse and unreliable.

• Bacterial canker: sunken bark, gum and branch dieback may occur. Prune affected wood back to healthy growth in dry summer weather, disinfect tools between cuts, and avoid unnecessary wounds.
• Silver leaf: silvery foliage and branch dieback need investigation, as other stresses can look similar. Remove affected branches in dry summer weather; badly affected trees may need professional assessment.
• Aphids: curled young leaves and sticky honeydew are common signs. Encourage natural predators and wash off small colonies with water; avoid spraying open flowers.
• Poor drainage: yellowing leaves, weak growth and root decline can follow waterlogging. Improve drainage before planting or choose another site rather than watering more.

Seeds inside the stones, leaves and bark contain cyanogenic compounds and can poison people, cats, dogs and horses if eaten. Wilted leaves are a particular livestock hazard, and substantial ingestion can be fatal. Do not allow animals to eat fallen branches or prunings.

• Flowering cherry 'Spire' (Prunus 'Spire')

  Also upright when young, but develops a broader crown and has single pink flowers rather than the semi-double, very pale pink flowers of 'Amanogawa'.

• Flowering cherry 'Kanzan' (Prunus 'Kanzan')

  Has much fuller, deeper pink double flowers and a broad, vase-shaped crown rather than a narrow column.

The Japanese cultivar name 'Amanogawa' means 'heavenly river', a name for the Milky Way.

Propagation. Usually propagated by budding or grafting onto a compatible cherry rootstock. Seedlings will not come true to the cultivar, and shoots from below the graft belong to the rootstock.

Accepted botanical name

Prunus

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.