Prunus serrulata

Japanese flowering cherry (Prunus serrulata )

Called The Japanese flowering cherry (Prunus serrulata ), also Oriental cherry or East Asian Cherry Grannenkirsche, is a species of the genus Prunus in the rose family ( Rosaceae ). The botanical epithet serrulata comes from Latin and means " fine cut " ie with a small saw teeth. The varieties of this ornamental cherry are used as ornamental plants in alleys, parks and gardens.

Description

Vegetative characteristics

The Japanese flowering cherry grows as a deciduous tree, reaching heights of growth of 3 to 8 meters. The bark is grayish - brown to grayish - black. The bark of young branches is colored bald and grayish - white or brown. The winter buds are ovoid and glabrous.

The alternate arranged on the branches leaves are divided into petiole and leaf blade. Of 1-1.5 cm long, hairless, petiole having at its upper end one to three rounded nectar glands. The simple leaf blade is ovate -elliptic acuminate with 5-9 cm long and 2.5-5 cm wide to verkehrteiförmig - elliptical, and at the upper end. The base of the leaf blade is rounded. The leaf margin is pointed sawn or doubly serrate, each with a tiny gland on the tips. The upper leaf surface is glabrous or sparsely hairy and dark green and light green leaf underside is glabrous, sparsely hairy or hairy fluffy. There are six to eight lateral nerves on each side of the main nerves. The fall color of the foliage is bright red and yellow. The two lineal stipules are 5-8 mm long with fringed edges glandular.

Generative features

On a 5-10 mm long, leafless inflorescence stem a small, schirmtraubiger - racemose or almost Doldiger inflorescence is formed which contains only two or three flowers. This includes the basic 8 × 4 mm in size, verkehrteiförmig -oblong bud scales, which are brownish- red. The brown to greenish - brown colored bracts are 5-8 mm × 2.5-4 mm in size with margins glandular- serrate. The flowers appear about April-May The bald, sparsely hairy or fluffy hairy flower stalk is 1.5-2.5 cm long.

The hermaphrodite, radiärsymmetrische, fivefold flower has a double perianth. The flower cup ( hypanthium ) is Roehrig and about 5-6 mm × 2-3 mm. The five entire, triangular- lanceolate sepals are about 5 mm long. The five free, white in wild forms or rarely pink, pink with different cultural forms petals are entire, and obovate. There are about 38 stamens present. The stylus is bald.

The edible drupes are globose to ovoid and have a diameter of 8-10 mm. The fruits ripen about May to July and then stain purple - black.

Customs

In the first warmer days of April, the Japanese flowering cherry lush begins to blossom and unfold its glory only for a few days. As early as May is the heyday to an end, and the flowers fall to the ground. The Japanese flowering cherry is at the Japanese custom of Hanami (lit. " flower seeing" ) a few days are the center of public attention. The media reports in detail by way of the cherry blossom in the direction of northern Japan. As short flowering Japanese cherry blossoms, so numerous are its flowers, which cover the heyday of the ground around the cherry trees and bring the branches to bend.

The flowering cherry is also closely intertwined with the culture of Japan. So the passing of flowers was compared to its peak already with young warriors or samurai.

The cherry blossom ( sakura Japanese ) has been around for several centuries, the essence of all flowers. The delicacy and the simple scent of the flowers symbolize purity and simplicity - traditional values ​​of Japanese culture.

Dissemination

The Japanese flowering cherry is native to Korea, Japan and the Chinese provinces of Anhui, Guizhou, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Liaoning, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Zhejiang. Maybe she was not originally native to Japan and was introduced from China. Their varieties are cultivated in all temperate areas, such as in Europe and North America.

System

We distinguish the following varieties:

• Prunus serrulata var albida ( Makino ) Makino
• Prunus serrulata var antiqua ( Miyoshi ) Makino
• Prunus serrulata var compta ( Koidz. ) Nakai
• Prunus serrulata var densiflora ( Koehne ) Uyeki
• Prunus serrulata var glabra ( Makino ) Nakai
• Prunus serrulata var hortensis Makino
• Prunus serrulata var hupehensis (Ingram ) Ingram
• Prunus serrulata var intermedia Nakai
• Prunus serrulata var lannesiana ( Carrière ) Makino: It is native to Japan, but is widely cultivated.
• Prunus serrulata var leveilleana ( Koehne ) Nakai ex T. Mori
• Prunus serrulata var pendula Bean
• Prunus serrulata var plenapendula Miyoshi
• Prunus serrulata var praecox ( Makino ) Makino
• Prunus serrulata var pubescens ( Makino ) E. H. Wilson
• Prunus serrulata var quelpaertensis ( Nakai ) Uyeki
• Prunus serrulata var sachalinensis (F. Schmidt) E. H. Wilson ( syn. Prunus sargentii Rehder )
• Prunus serrulata var Semiplena Nakai ex T. Mori
• Prunus serrulata Lindl. serrulata var
• Prunus serrulata var sieboldii ( ET ) Makino
• Prunus serrulata var sontagiae ( Koehne ) Nakai
• Prunus serrulata var spontanea ( Maxim. ) Makino ( syn. Prunus jamasakura Siebold ex Koidz. )
• Prunus serrulata var tokugawana Makino
• Prunus serrulata var ungeri Sprenger
• Prunus serrulata var verecunda ( Koidz. ) Nakai ( syn. Prunus verecunda ( Koidz. ) Koehne )

In addition, there are many cultivated forms, which vary in size, shape and color of leaves and flowers:

• ' Amanogawa ' (also: columns cherry): This form forms a tight columnar crown and is about six feet tall. The foliation is yellow-brown. The flowers are pale pink and semi-double up. These are often planted in gardens.
• ' Hokusai ': Introduced to Europe in 1866 form has a wide spreading habit; it is up to six feet high and ten feet wide. The foliation is brown to bronze. The leaves are dark green and somewhat leathery; the fall color is orange-red to salmon color. The 4-5 inch flowers are pale pink and semi-double. The flower has seven to twelve petals and is built flat.
• ' Ichiyo ': This form is growing up to seven meters high, sometimes even higher. The foliation is bronze-green. The flowers are pale pink with two layers arranged petals; the hem of the petals is fringed. The flowers are in hanging clusters to three to four flowers.
• 'Kanzan': This form is often under the (wrong) name ' Hisakura ' to be found in the garden trade. This is the most popular variety in Europe; in Japan it is less known about it. It is up to twelve feet high; the tree crown is almost inverted - cone-shaped. The foliation is copper brown. The leaves are tinted slightly blue- green on the bottom, on top of a little reddish. The flowers are borne in bundles of two to five. The double flowers are dark pink and large; striking are the mostly one to two leaf -like green carpels.
• ' Kiku - shidare Sakura ': This form is rather under the name ' shidare Sakura ' in culture. You may have come from China, while most other older forms originated from Japan. She has strong hanging branches and is therefore usually highly refined stocky. The flowers are dark pink stuffed and strong. The petals are very narrow.
• ' Shimidsu -Sakura ': This form is also ' Longipes ' or ' Oku- Miyaku ' called. She became known after 1900 in Europe. Because of their low residual growth ( up to about three meters) and almost hemispherical crown and the large flowers, it is a popular variety. The autumn colors of the leaves is golden. The flower buds are pink white, the flowers in bloom, but pure white. The flowers are 5-6 cm wide with fringed petals on the edge and are in hanging clusters to three to six flowers. The flowering period is compared to the other varieties very late (May to June).
• ' Shirofugen ': This also ' Albo - rosea ' said mold has been known since about 1900 in Europe. It is more common in larger parks. It is a starkwüchsiger, up to nine meters high tree. The foliation is copper brown. The leaves are very large with up to 16 × 8 cm. With regard to the heyday it is a very late variety. The flower buds are pink; the flowers are initially light pink, but will quickly know; in the pollination they turn pink again. The flowers are filled.
• ' Shirotae ': This variety is also called 'Mount Fuji ' and is known since 1905. It grows as a small tree with wide horizontally spreading branches. The foliation is bronze-green. The leaves are cut deep and about 12 cm long. The flowers are 5-6 cm wide and pure white.
• ' Tai Haku ': This discovered for the West until about 1900 ( re-) variety was quite some time ago as the " Great White Cherry" known in Japan. It grows as a tree up to about eight feet high and is growing strongly. The foliation is striking copper red. The leaves are rich in specimens up to 16 × 10 cm in size. The flowers are bright white and up to 6 cm wide. They stand near the branch tip in bunches.
• ' Ukon ': This strong growing variety has a red - brown to yellow leaves emerge. The semi-double flowers are yellowish white to greenish-yellow tint; the flower color fades during the heyday something.

Photos

The variety ' Kanzan' in the Forest Botanical Garden Eberswalde: