Japanese Flowering Cherry
Prunus serrulata
- Native to:
- China, Korea
Myrabella
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Rosaceae
- Genus:
- Prunus
- Species:
- Prunus serrulata
- USDA Symbol:
- PRSE3
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Tree
- Height:
- 1200 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- mar,apr,may
- Bloom Colors:
- pink, white
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★★★★★ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Ashen Pinion (Lithophane antennata), bicolored sallow (Sunira bicolorago), clear dagger moth (Acronicta clarescens)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, bees, butterflies
- Fragrant:
- Yes
- Fall Color:
- yellow, orange, red
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- Prefers fertile soils with good organic content
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–60 days
- Notes:
- Seeds require cold stratification. Fresh seed germinates more readily than dried seed.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI