Prunus Kiku-Shidare-Zakura (Japanese Flowering Cherry)

A favorite of many gardens, Prunus 'Kiku-Shidare-Zakura' is a small deciduous tree with gracefully arching branches, smothered with charming, fully double, rich pink flowers in mid to late spring. The abundant blossoms, 1.5 in. across (3.5 cm), are packed with up to 125 elliptic petals (!), giving them the look of a powder puff. Held in clusters or 3-5 blossoms along the bare pendulous branches, they create a terrific floral display. Bronze as they emerge, the serrate leaves mature to bright green in summer, forming a dense canopy casting shade below. As the leaves fall, they reveal the shiny, peeling coppery bark of the trunk, adding winter interest to the landscape. A miniature chrysanthemum-flowered variety of cherry tree that is splendid as a lawn specimen.