Prunus sargentii, commonly known as Sargent's cherry or North Japanese hill cherry,[Bailey, L.H.; Bailey, E.Z.; the staff of the Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third: A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada. Macmillan, New York.
] is a species of cherry native to Japan, Korea, Sakhalin (Russia), and China.[Common Trees of Hokkaido, pg 104]
The tree was named for Charles Sprague Sargent.[ Royal Horticultural Society , What's On, Harlow Carr, October 2007, last access 31 May 2008.]
Description
Prunus sargentii is a
deciduous tree that grows tall and broad. New growth is a reddish or bronze color, changing to shiny dark green.
The
obovate leaves with serrated margins are in length and are arranged alternately. In fall, the leaves turn red, orange, or yellow.
It grows single pink flowers on 1-in pedicels, which result in purple-black fruit in summer.
The fruits are a favorite of birds, but because of their size (small, pea sized) and color, are considered inconspicuous to humans.
Cultivation
P. sargentii is a fast-growing ornamental tree
requiring sun and well-drained soil. The tree can tolerate wind, but not air pollution; it is one of the hardiest cherries, and can be easily transplanted. This makes it suitable for use as a street tree.
The tree is moderately drought-tolerant.
History
Native to Korea and Japan, the tree was introduced to America and then the United Kingdom in 1908.
Gallery
File:Prunus sargentii buds.jpg|Buds
File:Prunus sargentii flowers.jpg|Flowers
File:Prunus sargentii flower detail.png|Flower detail
File:Prunus sargentii AA.jpg| Prunus sargentii, 1928 accession (#794-28*B) Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University
File:Prunus sargentii (Sargent Cherry) (33862592232).jpg|Flowers
See also
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For cherry blossoms and their cultural significance to the Japanese, see sakura.
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Common Trees of Hokkaido, Hokkaido University Press, Sapporo, 1992, C0045 P2472E
External links
