Flowering Cherry

Researched by Caitlyn Angley

Species:  Prunus serrulata
Common name: Cherry Flowering, Japanese Cherry, Oriental Cherry, Hill Cherry
Family:  Rosaceae (Rose Family)
Clade:  Angiosperms (flowering seed plants)

Coordinates:  39.707728, -75.12017886

Tree Tag: 205
A tag using this number is placed near the tree.

Prunus serrulata, or flowering cherry, is a member of the Rosaceae family, a group of flowering plants. The family includes many fruiting varieties like apples, pears, peaches, plums, apricots, almonds, and roses. During the spring, the tree produces beautiful red and pink flowers, which people often think of when they imagine a cherry tree. But the flowering cherry is an ornamental. Though it produces beautiful blossoms, this species does not produce cherries that people eat. Instead, it produces inedible pea-sized black fruits.

Native to Japan, the flowering cherry is prized for its beauty and cultural significance as a symbol of the ancient Samurai. The trees lose their petals during peak bloom, which, to the Samurai, signified dying in battle.

The leaves are simple with a serrated edge. During the fall, the leaves turn a vibrant yellow before dropping.

The stem of this species may appear papery, with what appear to be horizontal slits in the trunk. These “slits,” which are called lenticels, are pores that help with gas exchange in the environment. Carbon dioxide and oxygen can enter and exit the stem from these lenticels, which is essential for photosynthesis and respiration and keeping the tree alive.

*This resource is a product of Dr. Sara Wright’s Plant Diversity course in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences Department.