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Cherry blossoms
All the flowers used for ornamental purposes are beautiful, but the cherry tree has something else, an indescribable special charm, to be admired in public parks or private gardens. These are, indeed, the ideal places for the cultivation of ornamental cherry trees. The flowers bloom on the homonymous tree, belonging to the Rosaceae family and native to Europe and the Middle East. Some sources testify to the purely oriental origin of the cherry tree, which has been cultivated in Japan since time immemorial. In Rising Sun, the cherry tree is found both as a wild species and as a cultivated variety, while cherry cultivation in Europe is due to an English admiral who imported the plant to Britain in the early 20th century. Since then, the cherry tree has spread to all parts of the world, be cultivated everywhere now. Specific varieties, now totally indigenous, are grown in Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna and Sicily, where the famous Etna cherry tree grows. But the cultures that we have just mentioned refer to specific productive activities, whereasornamental cherry it is something else, or another story, to put it better, because the latter is cared for precisely because of the beauty of its flowers.
Characteristics
The cherry tree is an arboreal species that produces flowers and fruits. The fruits are those drupes we all call “cherries”, the flowers however are one of the most beautiful and admired plant parts of the tree of all time. Cherry blossoms develop with the leaves, mainly in spring, but there are also varieties that bloom in winter. The flowering part of the cherry tree consists of flowers with five or six petals, single or double, and with yellow stamens. In double flowers, even ten petals can be exceeded. The color of cherry blossoms is white, but it can also be pink and yellow. There are certain varieties of cherries with iridescent flowers, that is, flowers that change color at night. Admiring these flowers you will notice that they can go from white to yellow, pale pink or intense pink. Cherry blossoms are hermaphroditic, meaning they have both male and female sex characteristics and are pollinated by insects, especially bees. The structure and shape of cherry blossoms are stalked or hanging.
how to grow them
Cherry blossoms should be grown outdoors and require an area exposed to light-filled, fertile, well-drained soil. Flowering is favored by exposure to full sun for at least six hours a day. Leaves and flowers must also be protected from gusts of wind, which tear them from the tree, ruining their ornamental effect. To ensure that you have chosen the tree that best suits your ornamental needs, you must pay attention to the space available. In home gardens, Japanese ornamental cherry trees grow easily, bear beautiful flowers, and tend to retain rich leaf color even in the cooler months. These cherry trees have a compact habit, which allows them to be housed even in confined spaces.
Variety
To always have beautiful flowers, it is necessary to aim, as we have said, for the ornamental cherry trees of Japan. There are two best-known oriental varieties: the mountain cherry and the garden cherry. The former, also known as “yamakazura”, has single, five-petalled flowers with shades of pink. The second, also called “satokazura”, has double flowers, but difficult to identify, due to the crossings that are made with other species of cherry tree. In the mountain and garden cherry trees there are species with different names, among which we mention the varieties Prunus Serrulata and Subhirtella. Prunus Serrulata varieties have delicate single or double flowers, ranging from pink to white to yellow, and bloom in early to late spring. Prunus Subhirtella varieties have dark pink flowers. They are species adapted to pot culture. The different varieties mentioned have different shapes and sizes, which, as already mentioned in the previous paragraph, must be carefully considered when placing them in the garden. In small orchards, it is possible to grow the “Amagonawa” and “Ichiyo” varieties, always belonging to the Prunus serrulata variety. The first variety is a tree about ten meters high, with columnar growth and fragrant whitish-pink flowers that bloom in late spring. The “Ichiyo” variety, a small tree, bears the famous iridescent flowers whose color varies according to their stage of development. The twenty-petaled flowers are deep pink before blooming, then turn white when they open, then turn pale pink when they fall. The flowering of this cherry tree is quite a spectacle, to be admired, alone or in company, in your own garden. Even without changing color,the Cherry blossoms The “Ichiyo” are grouped into pedunculated, spherical and wavy corymbs. Looking at them is like ruffles on a dress.