Deciduous tree to 10 m tall. Leaves narrowly ovate to obovate, 10-20 cm long, abruptly long-acuminate, margin coarsely serrate with acuminate serrations ending in bristle-pointed tips, hairless or only slightly hairy; stalks with one or more glands; stipules, if present, finely divided. Flowers in stalked, pendulous corymbs 40-65 cm wide, of 5-6(-8), white to red or yellow-green flowers, single or double. Flower stalks from 2-7.5 cm long; calyx tube funnel-shaped. Fruit purple-black but rarely formed.
A very popular flowering tree with many cultivars available.
The nomenclature of the Japanese Flowering Cherries has been somewhat confused, since the cultivars have been assigned by different authors to various species, including P. serrulata, P. speciosa and P. lannesiana. Determining the ancestry of the Japanese Flowering Cherries is difficult due to the propensity of many native Japanese Prunus to hybridise and the fact that the selection of cultivars has occurred over a long period. The proposal of Jefferson and Wain (1984) to refer the Japanese Flowering Cherries to the group name Sato-zakura (from the Japanese for Village Cherries) is followed here.
Of unknown hybrid origin, long cultivated in Japan.
Cross & Looker (1989), Kuitert (1999).
Source: (2002). Rosaceae. In: . Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 3. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 2. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.
Prunus sato-zakura group 'Amanogawa'
Flowers white, flushed pink, single to semi-double, 4.5 cm wide, fastigiate habit.
Prunus sato-zakura group 'Cheal'
S weeping' Flowers pale rose-purple, double, 3.5 cm wide, weeping habit. ['Kiku-shidare-zakura', 'Plena Pendula']
Prunus sato-zakura group 'Fugenzo'
Is described as having paler pink flowers than 'Sekiyama' and a distinctive tabular habit with intercrossing branches. Even though 'Fugenzo' has been listed in Australian nsy catalogues, Sato-zakura of this description have not yet been observed in se Australia. Cultivars known as 'Fugenzo' are most likely 'Sekiyama'.
Prunus sato-zakura group 'Ichiyo'
Flowers pale rose-purple, semi-double to double, 4 cm wide.
Prunus sato-zakura group 'Ojochin'
Flowers white or the palest pink, single, 4 cm wide.
Prunus sato-zakura group 'Okumiyako'
Flowers white, flushed with pale pink, 5 cm wide.
Prunus sato-zakura group 'Pink Perfection'
Flowers white or the palest pink with petal margins flushed with pale red-purple, 5.6 cm wide.
Prunus sato-zakura group 'Sekiyama'
Flowers pale rose-purple, semi-double, 5 cm wide, petals with a deeper pink margin. ['Kanzan']
Prunus sato-zakura group 'Shiro-fugen'
Flowers white, flushed with the palest pink, semi-double, 5 cm wide. ['Alborosea', however in Australian nurseries p. 'Albo Rosea' is indistinguishable from 'Okumiyako']
Prunus sato-zakura group 'Shirotae'
Flowers white, single to semi-double, 4 cm wide. [p. 'Mt Fuji', p. 'Alba Plena']
Prunus sato-zakura group 'Tai Haku'
Flowers white, single, 6.5 cm wide. ['Taihaku']
Prunus sato-zakura group 'Ukon'
Flowers pale yellow-green, semi-double, aging to purple pink, 4.5 cm wide. ['Grandiflora', 'Luteovirens']
