Ornamental cherry

More information about the ornamental cherry

Every year they announce spring with an overwhelming sea of blossoms - as is well known in Japan, this is the occasion for the big, traditional cherry blossom festival. The enchanting ornamental cherry trees originally come from East Asia and belong to the genus Prunus. They are available as compact, small shrubs or as picturesque shrubs that are even suitable as bonsai trees.

Take a look at our Lubera assortment if you would like to experience the sensational blossoming splendour of the ornamental cherry in your garden. We have put together attractive Prunus varieties for you that meet the various space requirements in the garden and shine with delicate pink or white flowers.

Table of contents

The ornamental cherry - a flowering dream for your garden

Buying  - the diversity of Prunus varieties

Suitable location

Planting and care

Pruning

The ornamental cherry - a flowering dream for your garden

Find the right ornamental cherry at Lubera: the columnar Prunus serrulata 'Amanogawa' with its special growth form is ideal for a small garden; the winter cherry's flowers glow in November at mild temperatures, and the delicate dwarf cherry 'Brilliant' is a popular herald of spring that also thrives well in a container on the terrace.

Buying - the diversity of Prunus varieties

The genus Prunus belongs to the rose family and includes the many species of cherry, including the beautiful ornamental cherry varieties and delicious sweet cherries, but also almond trees, plums, apricots and peaches. The dark red to black coloured fruits of the Asian ornamental cherries are small in contrast to the sweet cherries and are not interesting for consumption - often no fruits are formed at all. However, the dwarf purple leaf sand cherry in this category produces aromatic, edible plum fruits in addition to its beautiful blossom.

Native woody plants are particularly valuable for ecological reasons. The genus Prunus is also represented here, e.g. with the bird cherry, which also has enchanting flowers.

If you are interested in buying ornamental cherries, you will find many species and varieties that differ in terms of growth height, shape and the colour and shape of their flowers. Some representatives bloom as early as the end of March, others late in May. In autumn, their foliage often shows intense red or yellow tones.

Suitable location

Ornamental cherries love sunny locations and nutrient-rich, deep soils, which should not have any waterlogging. All in all, they do not place too great demands on the location - they can also survive in partial shade. The beautiful flowering shrubs can be combined very well with perennials that also produce delicate flowers, e.g. Larkspur or Phlox.

Planting and care

The best time to plant ornamental cherries is in autumn. The planting hole should be about twice as large as the root ball. After planting you should keep an eye on the soil moisture. The soil should not dry out completely to grow, so water if necessary. A sufficient supply of lime in the soil is beneficial for growth and flowering, and a phosphorus-rich fertiliser is also recommended. If the woody plant has been planted in a nutrient-rich substrate, however, it does not need to be fertilised regularly.

Pruning

As ornamental cherries are spring bloomers, they already produce a lot of sap in the winter. Overall they are somewhat sensitive to pruning. They should not be pruned too radically in order to preserve their specific growth habit. Basically, only branches that grow too densely or the oldest branches should be removed. Summer is best suited for this because in the winter they would "bleed" too much. Young plants should not be pruned - it is sufficient to make a thinning cut after about three years. In the case of very thick branches, a "stub" should be left standing and cut at an angle - then apply a wound sealer. When cutting, you should also carefully remove all dead branches; use a clean cutting tool for this purpose to avoid the transmission of diseases.