Prunus Shirotae (Japanese Flowering Cherry)

Ideal for small gardens, award-winning Prunus 'Shirotae' is a small deciduous tree with a remarkable spreading flat crown and slightly arching branches. In mid to late spring, it gets covered with abundant and beautiful, pure white, semi-double flowers, which are among the largest of the flowering cherries. Resembling rambling roses, the cup-shaped blossoms, 2 in. across (5 cm), count up to 5-11 petals, some with a faint pink tinge which fades to pure white as the blooms open. They exude a pleasant almond fragrance and contrast nicely with the foliage of pale green young leaves. As the season progresses, the ovate leaves turn dark green by summer before turning red and orange shades in the fall. Healthy, vigorous, and remarkably shaped with its branches gracefully dipping close to the ground, 'Shirotae' is one of the most gorgeous white-flowering cherries.