Weeping Higan Cherry

Many trees are appreciated for their flowers, and fruits, but this variety of cherry tree is admired for its branches. The branches have a drooping or “weeping” phenotype, which gives the weeping cherry tree its name. As you can see, the trunk on this tree looks a little weird and unusual, and that is because this tree was grafted to create the desired weeping appearance. Grafting is a technique that allows you to propagate a specific type of plant asexually, and it is faster and sometimes more reliable than planting a tree from a new seed and waiting decades for it to grow. In fact, many of the Rosaceae fruits that we eat, such as apples, pears, cherries, and peaches, are propagated via grafting. Entire orchards can exist of the same genetic clone. Some horticulturists have grafted 40 different species of fruits onto a single tree simply by fusing branches from different species together. Below, I have shared some additional resources if you would like to read more about grafting. You can find other grafted trees around campus, including the small tree in the decorative planting between Science Hall and Meditation Walk.

The weeping higan cherry is a deciduous tree, which means that it loses its leaves as the seasons change. In the spring and summer, the leaves are a bright green, and then they turn yellow in the fall before they drop in preparation for winter. This species has simple, serrated leaves, meaning the leaves have little jagged edges along the perimeter, but if you were to touch it, the leaf’s surface has a smooth glossy texture. This tree is an angiosperm which means that it produces flowers, and cherry trees are also prized for their beautiful blooms. The flowers are a light pink color, and they are bisexual, which means they have both male and female parts. If you are lucky enough to pass by this tree during the spring, keep an eye out for the beautiful flowers!

Although this tree is a cherry tree, it does not produce the cherries that we tend to eat. In the summer, this tree produces black fruits that are extremely sour, and do not taste good to humans. Birds are some of the only animals that will eat and disperse the fruits from this tree. 

Trees on Rowan’s campus provide beauty and also an opportunity to learn. I encourage you to continue exploring the many trees that our campus offers, both in person and using the links and the map below.

These resources are a product of Dr. Sara Wright’s Plant Diversity course in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences Department. My name is Kiara Ward, and I will earn my Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences in 2022. I plan to pursue a career in medicine. You can read more about me and the Weeping Higan Cherry Tree below.