Okame cherry

Sun

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

Water

Moderate; water regularly while establishing and during prolonged dry weather. Avoid waterlogged ground.

Soil

Moist but well-drained loam, sandy loam or well-structured clay; slightly acidic to neutral soil is ideal.

Height

20-30 ft (6-9 m)

Spread

15-25 ft (4.5-7.5 m)

Flowers

Late winter to early spring; clusters of single rosy-pink flowers with darker pink calyces, opening before the leaves. Late frost can damage open flowers.

Foliage

Small, oval, sharply toothed green leaves, often turning orange, red or bronze in autumn.

Growth

Moderate

Care needed

Medium

• Pollinators
• Heat tolerant
• Low allergen

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 (2.3 m)

3. After 2 years

   8 ft (2.6 m)

4. After 3 years

   9 ft (2.8 m)

5. After 5 years

   11 ft (3.4 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 any graft union above the soil.
• Water deeply through the first two growing seasons whenever the root zone begins to dry.
• Apply a 2-3 in (5-8 cm) layer of organic mulch, keeping it clear of the trunk.
• Feed in spring only if growth is weak or a soil test shows a deficiency; avoid heavy nitrogen feeding.
• Remove shoots arising below the graft and protect the trunk from mower and strimmer damage.

Pruning. Prune sparingly in dry weather in summer, removing dead, damaged or crossing branches and retaining the natural crown. Avoid winter pruning and large cuts, which increase the risk of silver leaf and bacterial canker.

Autumn

Plant while the soil is workable and well drained; in very cold areas, wait until spring.

Late winter

Check ties on newly planted trees and loosen any that are rubbing or constricting the trunk.

Early spring

Renew mulch and check soil moisture as growth begins.

Late spring

Check new shoots for aphids and remove any growth arising below the graft.

Summer

Carry out light pruning in dry weather and water deeply during prolonged dry spells.

Late autumn

Collect fallen leaves if leaf spot was a problem during the growing season.

• Use as a lawn specimen where the early flowers and autumn foliage can be seen from the house.
• Plant beside a patio or broad path, allowing room for the mature crown rather than pruning it to fit.
• Underplant with snowdrops, crocuses and hellebores for a late-winter and early-spring display.
• Set against dark evergreen shrubs to make the pink flowers stand out.

Garden styles it suits: Japanese, English country, Cottage garden, Romantic rose garden, Modern courtyard and Pollinator garden.

Plant it with: Snowdrops, Crocuses, Hellebores, Daffodils, Japanese forest grass and Camellias.

Wildlife: Early flowers provide nectar and pollen for bees and other insects when weather permits them to forage. Small fruits, when produced, may be eaten by birds.

• Bacterial canker: watch for sunken bark, gum and dying shoots; prune affected wood back to healthy growth in dry summer weather and disinfect tools between cuts.
• Leaf spot or shot-hole symptoms: collect affected fallen leaves, avoid wetting the foliage and improve air circulation; seek a diagnosis if defoliation recurs.
• Aphids: curled young leaves may shelter colonies; encourage predators and wash accessible infestations off with water.
• Borers: stressed trees are vulnerable; protect bark from injury, maintain steady moisture and seek local advice if you find holes, frass or persistent gum at the trunk.

Leaves, stems and seeds inside the fruit stones contain cyanogenic compounds and are toxic to dogs, cats, horses and people if eaten in sufficient quantity. Wilted leaves are especially hazardous to grazing animals; poisoning can be severe or fatal. Fruit flesh is not the main toxic part, but this ornamental cherry should not be treated as a food crop.

• Taiwan cherry (Prunus campanulata)

  Usually has deeper pink to crimson, strongly bell-shaped flowers that hang downward; Okame has more open, rosy-pink flowers.

• Fuji cherry (Prunus incisa)

  Usually has white to very pale pink flowers and conspicuously deeply toothed leaves; Okame has stronger pink flowers and generally makes a larger tree.

• Accolade cherry (Prunus 'Accolade')

  Has larger, pale pink, semi-double flowers and a broader, more spreading crown; Okame has smaller, single flowers and usually blooms earlier.

Prunus is the Latin name for the plum tree, now used for the genus that includes cherries, plums, peaches and their relatives.

Propagation. Usually propagated by budding or grafting onto a suitable cherry rootstock. Softwood cuttings may root under controlled conditions; seed will not produce plants identical to 'Okame'.

Accepted botanical name

Prunus

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