Prunus Autumnalis Rosea - Cherry

The Prunus subhirtella 'Autumnalis Rosea' is a unique variety of Japanese flowering cherry tree known for its autumn and winter flowering, which appears intermittently when the weather becomes milder. Its semi-double flowers, pale pink and pearly with a deep pink calyx, are a true surprise during a time of year when flowering is rare. The other asset of this small tree with gracefully spreading habit is its deciduous foliage, which turns beautiful shades of yellow and copper in autumn, like a beautiful backdrop for its delicate flowering. Hardy and undemanding in terms of soil, it combines charm, originality, and strength.  

The Prunus (x) subhirtella 'Autumnalis Rosea', belonging to the large family of Rosaceae, is a Japanese cultivar introduced to Europe in 1960. It is commonly accepted nowadays that the Prunus (x) subhirtella is a spontaneous hybrid originating from East Asia. 'Autumnalis Rosea' is distinguished by its more compact habit and, above all, its tender pink autumn and winter flowering. It is a deciduous tree with modest growth and medium speed, reaching an average height of 4 to 5 metres (13 inches 1 feets - 16 inches 5 feets), slightly less in width. Over the years, it has developed a very short trunk and a wide and spreading crown. Flowering begins in November and continues in waves as temperatures warm up, until February, or even until April in colder regions. The flowers, gathered in small clusters and suspended by a short peduncle, are semi-double. They emerge from pink buds and then open into pale pink and pearly corollas surrounded by reddish calyx. The flowers are followed by the formation of small black-purple fruits when ripe. The foliage, deciduous, consists of alternate, oval-shaped leaves, 3 to 8 cm (1.2 - 3.1 in) long and 2 cm (0.8 in) wide, with serrated margins. The lamina, of bright green colour, reveals a downy underside. The foliage is green-bronze when it buds in this 'Autumnalis Rosea' variety. The bark is gray-brown and the young branches are pubescent.

Its winding shape, created by sinuous branches, makes the flowering cherry tree suitable for bonsai cultivation. 'Autumnalis Rosea', a unique small tree that adds charm to the short days of autumn and winter, is well-suited for small gardens as well as cultivation in large pots on a terrace. You can plant it in a flowerbed or as a standalone tree, in a free hedge, or even in rows. Undemanding, it thrives in well-prepared ordinary soil, tolerates heat and the presence of limestone in the soil. It grows perfectly in a hedge or flowerbed, and can be paired with other plants that flower at different times, such as Japanese apricots (Prunus mume), ornamental apple trees, Japanese quinces, flowering peaches, Chinese almond trees, hawthorns. It naturally fits into a Japanese garden, in a sunny location. Autumn perennials such as asters, chrysanthemums, Japanese Anemones, or the amazing Isodon longituba are a fantastic accompaniment to its flowering until the winter months.