Ichihara

Prunus 'Ichihara'

Sato-zakura Group

[Syn: P. serrulata v. spontanea ‘Ichihara’; P. lannesiana ‘Ichihara’; P. jamasakura Sieb. cv. Ichihara]

Also known as P. 'Ichihara-toro-no-o'; where ‘tora-no-o’ means tiger’s tail in Japanese; it refers to the crowding of the flowers on short stalks at the ends of short spur twigs. More than one cherry has been described with this name; the earliest mentioned in the late c.17. However, the one grown today was first recorded in 1785 (possibly), and ‘discovered’ in Ichihara Village, N of Kyoto, in the early c.20 by Rev. Kozui Otana. It is a form of the Japanese Mountain Cherry.

A small umbrella-shaped tree to 5 m high, characterized by almost horizontal branches crowded with short vertical twigs or spurs. Flowers are crowded at the ends of these.

Pink double flowers in compact clusters of 3-4 flowers at the ends of spur twigs - very distinctive. Buds are pink with the stigma already protruding but flowers open pure white. Flowers c. 3.5 cm dia. with 20-50 petals opening fluffy and disorderly. Spectacular. Flowers late April in Tokyo.

Young green foliage has a bronze cast (RHS 14-6-B, 152-B). Leaves c. 8 x 4 cm showing fine single serration and whitish undersides to leaf-blades, identical with the Japanese Mountain Cherry. Foliage appears with blossom.

Location

• One by the postbox; square I8; tag 4045. Planted in 2008.