Unlike many of its springtime show-off cousins, this is an understated and elegant small tree, and one of the best for winter interest in the smaller
I like to see this winter flowering cherry grown as a specimen, in sun or part shade, and preferably against an evergreen background which best shows off the flowers. If you can enjoy it from the comfort of your winter-warmed house, then so much the better! At its feet, have fun with the usual suspects – snowdrops, crocuses and early narcissi, there is a huge choice, but keep it simple. For further interest it could act as host to a Group 3 clematis which can be cut to the ground before the cherry starts to flower.
Choose your young tree with care, making sure that it is a good shape to start off with. Keep pruning to an absolute minimum, bearing in mind that you want to encourage its natural, open framework of branches; but do so as it grows, don’t suddenly lay into it after a few years when you will do irreversible damage.
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5 replies on “Prunus x subhirtella ‘Autumnalis’ – Winter flowering cherry”
Thanks very much for the share, I’ve been searching for ideas to bring some colour to the garden after wandering around the new garden yesterday morning to see just hellebores giving me a little colour.
I do love to see all the hellebores getting ready to flower, and remember to cut off all those scruffy old leaves …. the flowers will then look so much better. It’s a very exciting time of the year! Louise
Susie Brooke
So glad to read your comments on this lovely tree. When we moved here 45 years ago there was a beautiful specimen in the centre of our lower lawn. Sadly over the years it developed a virus, (possibly as we are on Chiltern chalk, & in the 90’s a virus attacked many prunus trees, including the wild cherries in this area). We clung on to it until a few years ago. It still sends out fronds of welcome blossom each winter from the huge stump left behind. I always used to include the pale pink version ‘rosea’ in all my ‘noughties’ garden designs!
I have rosea in my Edinburgh garden. Pale pink flowers all winter when there is a mild spell.
Over the years people have said about it – oh no, climate change, that cherry shouldn’t be flowering surely? No, it’s just a fab thing to plant to cheer you up when there’s not much about. Casts very little shade, and if you get a grafted tree (mine came from Smeaton nursery in East Lothian), it will remain small enough to suit pretty any garden.
Barbara you’re so right – it does make people think the tree has got confused. It’s so unusual to see such a lovely thing flowering in winter. I was very fond on Smeaton Nursery when I lived in East Lothian – very tucked away. I bought a couple of things from their ‘sick bay’ area which have flourished here in the Highlands. So gratifying when that happens! Wishing you a great gardening year in Edinburgh 🥰