Erik's Gardening Tips

flowering fruit trees

This past winter cold has been of great benefit to plants needing a winter dormancy period. Among these plants are the spectacular flowering fruit trees. We have seen an outstanding display this year of flowering purple leaf plums (blossoms still going on) and the beginnings of the flowering cherry season. Magnolias are just wonderful this year, much better than the past few years (warmer winters). The crabapples have begun with early varieties and then we shall enjoy the later bloomers and the doubles very much pretty soon! The flowering peaches and apricots, as well as Prunus mume(Japanese flowering apricot/plum) have been wonderful as well and with some, the season has only just started. Also, the fruiting trees have been especially showy this year. Peaches, nectarines, apricots, plums and pluots, cherries, apples, pears have presented us with a nice floral display.
I would like to draw your attention to the flowering cherries, a personal favorite. My season began with the hybrid Prunus 'incamp. 'Okame' with strong neon pink bell shaped flowers in profusion. Then came others like Prunus subhirtella in the many varied forms (best known in the weeping forms (weeping flowering cherry). P. 'Pink Cloud was next with bright pink single flowers en masse. Following this are the Yoshino cherry (P. x yedoensis and forms) and P. serrulata spontanea (Hill cherry of Japan) This one is most spectacular with single flowers on a potentially very large tree to 45 ft+ and displayed with ruby brown new leaves, that classic combination of red and white!
Some early doubles like P/ 'Accolade' with medium pink semidouble flowers on a rounded tree to 20 ft+ and P. subhirtella 'Autumnalis' with profuse double pink flowers now. (and small little flowers throughout fall and winter.
One persoanl favorite is P. serrulata 'Tai Haku' with the largest flowers of any cherry...2-4" wide and displayed with coppery new growth. This is a vigorous grower to 25-30 tall and wide.
All cherries (and most flowering fruit trees in general, like well drained fertile soil in a sunny location (many will tolerate up to about half shade(although slightly less flowers).
Regular watering and light fertilizing will promote good growth. structural pruning should be done as a young tree and then not much is needed as the tree matures in many types of flowering fruit trees. (peaches, plums, apricots being the esception, they need regular pruning to keep vigor and produce long flowering sprays.)
Plant some of these wonderful trees and enjoy spring for many years to come!