Species and varieties in the National Collection of Flowering Cherries at
Keele University
Prunus 'Gyosho'
Sato-zakura Group
Syn Prunus 'Matsumae-akathu-no-kane'
Selected and raised by Mr Masatoshi Asari in Matsumae at the southern tip of Hokkaido, Northern Japan (parentage not disclosed).
This was one of the original 79 flowering cherry scions sent to the UK by Mr Asari in 1993 which were then propagated at the Bridgemere Nurseries in North Staffordshire. Until 2015 its name was ‘Matsumae-akathu-no kane’. However, in early 2015, we received information from Japan that Mr Asari had renamed it in 1996 after the name of a local school in southern Hokkaido, possibly the one in Matsumae township where he had taught for many years. As its previous name had not been validly published, he was perfectly entitled to do this, so it should now be called ‘Gyoshu’.
Large semi‑double white flowers flushed with pale pink. Darker pink buds. Phylloid pistils?
Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit 2012 (as ‘Matsumae-akathu-no kane’).
Location
- One by boundary wall opposite running track; square 56K; tag 4109. Planted in 2011.