Prunus serrula Franch.

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Credits

Article from Bean's Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles

Recommended citation
'Prunus serrula' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/prunus/prunus-serrula/). Accessed 2024-03-18.

Genus

Synonyms

  • P. serrula var. tibetica (Batal.) Koehne
  • P. puddum var. tibetica Batal.

Glossary

calyx
(pl. calyces) Outer whorl of the perianth. Composed of several sepals.
glabrous
Lacking hairs smooth. glabrescent Becoming hairless.
midrib
midveinCentral and principal vein in a leaf.
ovate
Egg-shaped; broadest towards the stem.
style
Generally an elongated structure arising from the ovary bearing the stigma at its tip.
variety
(var.) Taxonomic rank (varietas) grouping variants of a species with relatively minor differentiation in a few characters but occurring as recognisable populations. Often loosely used for rare minor variants more usefully ranked as forms.

References

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Credits

Article from Bean's Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles

Recommended citation
'Prunus serrula' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/prunus/prunus-serrula/). Accessed 2024-03-18.

A deciduous tree 30 to 50 ft high; bark of trunk shining brown, ultimately peeling; shoots finely downy when quite young. Leaves lance-shaped, rounded or wedge-shaped at the base, long and slenderly pointed, finely and regularly toothed, 2 to 4 in. long, 12 to 114 in. wide, downy along the midrib beneath and in the chief vein-axils, sometimes glabrous or soon becoming so; there are several large glands at the base near the stalk, which is 14 to 12 in. long. Flowers white, 23 in. wide, produced usually in twos or threes (sometimes solitary or in fours) during April, each on its stalk 12 in. long. Calyx-lobes ovate-triangular, toothed; style finely downy towards the base. Fruits oval, 12 in. long, red.

Native of W. China; described from specimens collected by the Abbé Delavay in Yunnan; introduced by Wilson in 1908 from the region of Tatsien-lu (Kangting) in W. Szechwan and again by Forrest in 1913 from Yunnan. Wilson’s introduction (W. 988) was referred by Koehne to var. tibetica (Batal.) Koehne but there is no reliable character by which this variety can be distinguished from the Yunnan trees.

Two characters make this cherry distinct; one is the narrowness and fine toothing of the leaves which are rather willow-like; the other is the beautiful bright brown peeling bark, at least of young trees. This feature alone makes the tree worth cultivating, for it is not more striking in any tree of similar character. So far as I have seen its flower beauty is not great. A.M. 1944 (for its bark).

The following specimens have been recorded: Highdown, Sussex, pl. 1939, 20 × 3 ft (1965); Westonbirt, Glos., pl. 1937, 25 × 414 ft (Clay Island) and 30 × 3 ft (Morley Drive) (1965/6); Endsleigh, Devon, 55 × 4 ft (1963); Bodnant, Denb., 25 × 334 ft and 30 × 312 ft (1966).

From the Supplement (Vol. V)

This species was reintroduced by Roy Lancaster from western Szechwan in 1981.