Species and varieties in the National Collection of Flowering Cherries at
Keele University
Prunus 'Beni-shigure'
Sato-zakura Group
[Syn: P. lannesiana Wilson cv. Beni-shigure]
Selected by Masatoshi Asari in 1961 from seedlings of ‘Azuma-nishiki’ - presumably a natural hybrid between ‘Azuma-nishiki’ and the P. verecunda strain of P. lannesiana.
A cup-shaped tree to 8-10 m high. Much branched habit (similar to ‘Sekiyama’).
Double, widely opening flowers (28-35 petals) large (4.5-5.5 cm dia.) Coloured deep purple-red. It has 2 phylloid pistils. Buds are purple-red. Flowers in late April. No scent. Pistils visible.
Young foliage is red-brown. Mature leaves are elliptical or ovate-elliptical (15 x 8 cm), green above, light green below.
Location
- By the Covert; tag 4160, square I6, planted 2009.
- Between Church Plantation houses and running track; tag 4202, square H6, planted 2012.
