Prunus × yedoensis | |
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Yoshino cherry tree in flower | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
(unranked): | Angiosperms |
(unranked): | Eudicots |
(unranked): | Rosids |
Order: | Rosales |
Family: | Rosaceae |
Genus: | Prunus |
Subgenus: | Cerasus |
Species: | P. × yedoensis |
Binomial name | |
Prunus × yedoensis Matsum. |
Prunus × yedoensis, Prunus × yedoensis 'Somei-yoshino' or Yoshino cherry (Japanese: 染井吉野 Somei Yoshino) (synonym Cerasus × yedoensis) is a hybrid cherry of between Prunus speciosa (Oshima zakura) as father plant and Prunus pendula f. ascendens (Edo higan) as mother. It occurs as a natural or artificial hybrid in Japan and is now one of the most popular and widely planted cultivated flowering cherries (sakura) in temperate climates worldwide. It is a clone from a single tree and propagated by grafting to all over the world.
Yoshino cherry is initially believed to be native to Yoshino District, Nara. In 1900, Kimei Fujino gave Yoshino cherry a name Somei-yoshino after the famous place of cultivation Somei village (current day Toshima). In 1901, Yoshino cherry was given a scientific name Prunus Yedoensis by Ninzo Matsumura. However, after Ernest Henry Wilson suggested Yoshino cherry is a hybrid between Prunus subhirtella var. ascendens (Edo higan) and Prunus lannesiana (Oshima zakura) in 1916, Yoshino cherry became to be called Prunus × Yedoensis. As for the Korean native cherry called king cherry (왕벚나무) which was given a scientific name Prunus yedoensis var. nudiflora by a German botanist Bernhard Adalbert Emil Koehne in 1912 continues to be called Prunus yedoensis.
Yoshino cherry has no scientific cultivar name because it is the original cultivar of this hybrid species Prunus × edoensis. A new name, 'Somei-yoshino' is proposed in accordance with other cultivars of Prunus × edoensis.
Prunus × yedoensis is a small, deciduous tree that at maturity grows to be 5 to 12 metres (16–39 ft) (rarely 15 metres (49 ft)) tall. It grows well in hardiness zones 5–8 and does well in full sun and moist but well drained soil. The leaves are alternately arranged, 6 to 15 centimetres (2.4–5.9 in) long and 4 to 7 centimetres (1.6–2.8 in) broad, with a serrated margin; they are often bronze-toned when newly emerged, becoming dark green by summer.