Yoshino Cherry
Arbor walk #4, Treekeeper ID #4302
The Yoshino Cherry is a beautiful tree with slightly fragrant, pinkish white flowers that appear in early spring. There are numerous Yoshino Cherry Trees that line the stairs by the Olin Business School and WashU Law to form an allée.
The Yoshino Cherry Tree is an ornamental tree native to Japan. Its most distinct characteristic is the beautiful pinkish white flowers which blossom in the spring. These flowers produce small black cherries which are bitter to humans but attractive to birds. This tree is an important part of the National and International Cherry Blossom Festivals and its planting in Washington D.C. is a symbol of friendship between Japan and the U.S.
This tree is a hybrid between Prunus itosakura and the Oshima cherry (Prunus speciosa).
| Common Name | Yoshino Cherry |
|---|---|
| Latin Name | Prunus x yedoensis |
| Indigenous Name(s) | |
| Cultivar/Variety | |
| Commercial Name |
Global Distribution
GPS Coordinates
N/A
Percent Concrete
N/A
Distance to Buildings
| Year | Close Building #1 | Close Building #2 | Close Building #3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Anheuser-Busch Hall, 5.60 m | Knight Executive Education and Conference Center, 10.79 m | Knight Hall, 64.26 m |
Distance to Other Species
| Year | Close Species #1 | Close Species # 2 | Close Species # 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Yoshino Cherry, 3.16 m | Yoshino Cherry, 4.14 m | Yoshino Cherry, 5.05 m |
Standard Measurements
| Year | Height (m) | DBH (cm) | Caliper (m) | Crown Diameter N-S (m) | Crown Diameter E-W (m) | Average Crown Diameter (m) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 10.2386 | 22.4 | N/A | 6.24 | 6.56 | 6.4 |
| 2023 | 11.5 | 24 | N/A | 8.19 | 8.92 | 8.555 |
Nests and Pests
| Year | Description |
|---|---|
| 2020 | Large vertical gashes, may be entry points for bacteria Dark fungus/bacteria/algae, mostly on trunk One odd-shaped scar Grey and green lichen |
Leaf Identification
The leaves of the Yoshino Cherry are simple (no leaflets), alternately arranged on the stem, pinnately veined, and unlobed. The leaves are elliptic, slightly ovate, or slightly obovate. The margin is finely serrated, and the leaf ends in a long acuminate tip.
Twig and Bud Identification
The twig matures from green to light brown, smooth, and slightly zig zag with lenticels (pores). The buds are both axillary and terminal. The terminal buds are clustered, scaled, and dark brown.
Bark Identification
The bark of the Yoshino Cherry is gray with horizontal notch-like brown lenticels. These lenticels become more ridged and prominent as the tree matures.
Fruit Identification
The fruits of the Yoshino Cherry are drupes. They are small, black, globular, and paired, with long individual stalks. They are not edible to humans, but appeal to wildlife. The fruits ripen in the summer.
Flower Identification
The flowers of the Yoshino Cherry are showy, white, five-petaled, and very fragrant. The flowers are arranged in racemes, in clusters along the peduncle. The flowers bloom in early spring.
