Prunus “Kanzan”
Japanese cherry tree

- Family: Rosaceae
- Origen: native to Japan, China and Korea

A medium-sized tree that reaches heights of five to eight metres. Its roots are shallow. The crown is quite branched, the single trunk is round and greyish brown, with a smooth base bark and small horizontal protuberances called “lenticels” that enable the tree to breathe. The main trunk becomes quite thick and branches off into thick branches that in turn split successively into thinner and finer branches at the end of the crown.

The leaves appear in spring, right after the flowers. The small sprouts of leaves are copper colour and change to green as they develop. The leaves are lance-shaped, broader in the centre. The edges are serrated, and the tip is pointy. They have a central vein that is clearly marked and prominent secondary veins on the midline of the leaves.

The leaves grow alternately on the stalks, joined by fine petioles, and they measure between 6-14 centimetres in length. In autumn, when the temperatures drop, the leaves change colour before falling, turning yellow, copper and especially orange.

The small flower buds grow directly on the stems and are attached by very thin peduncles. They are intensely pink and turn lighter pink and slightly purple when the flowers open. The flowers measure about 6 centimetres in diameter and are comprised of very fine petals in a soft pink that resemble small roses.

Fonte: paramijardin.com