Keele University Arboretum

Prunus 'Kiku-shidare-zakura'

‘Kiku-shidare-zakura’ means ‘chrysanthemum weeping cherry’. Planted along the Arakawa River near Tokyo at the beginning of 20th century from nurseries in Kita-kuwata N of Tokyo. The Flower Association of Japan classify it as a cultivar of the Japanese Mountain Cherry. (Prunus jamasakura ‘Plena-pendula’, P. lannesianna ‘Plena-pendula’ Kawasaki). In UK a sport was introduced as ‘Cheal’s Weeping’ in 1915. It was also sold as ‘Double Weeping Flowering Cherry’, ‘Shidare -zakura’, P. serrulata ‘Pendula’ or P. ‘pendula’ - confusion with other weeping cherries.

[Syn: Kiku-shidare; weeping Oriental cherry, ‘Cheal’s Weeping’, P. chealii pendula (not Shidare-zakure, not P. pendula, not double weeping flowering cherry, not P.serrulata ‘Pendula’)]

Character: Tree with weeping branches. Very attractive when wreathed with deep pink densely double flowers. Flowers pink double c. 3 cm dia. , 75-125 petals. Deep pink in bud opening deep rose pink (RHS 65-B,C) Flowering late-April to early May.

Young foliage light bronze-green (RHS 152-C) to bright green (RHS 144-A) Double serration.