Prunus glandulosa Sinensis - Dwarf flowering Almond

The Prunus glandulosa 'Sinenis', also known as Prunus glandulosa 'Rosea Plena', is a true ambassador of spring's arrival. This small and absolutely delightful bush, sometimes known as Japanese almond or flowering cherry, forms in any case a rounded bush of great freshness, literally covered in soft pink pompoms, arranged all along its bare branches. It is an endearing shrub, both generous and compact, resistant and easy to grow, but its early flowering fears late frosts.

The Prunus glandulosa is native to China and Japan. Botanists classify it in the rose family, in the dwarf Prunus category, and in the cherry section, even though it shares some common characteristics with almonds and peaches. It is a robust and hardy deciduous species.

Of moderately fast growth, it forms a bush of slender stems that will not exceed 1.50m (4 ft 11 in) in all directions (on average 1.20m (3 ft 11 in) depending on growing conditions). When pruned short, close to the ground after flowering, this shrub produces in just one season a profusion of stems that will bear flowers the following spring. The branches, ranging from red to brown, are covered in flowers just before the appearance of the leaves, usually in April. These are small pastel pink flowers, about 4cm in diameter, that appear all along the branches of the previous year, solitarily or in pairs. Very double, they are almost round in shape, like small crumpled pompoms. The small light green leaves, with an ovate shape, narrow and slightly dentate, measure about 7 cm (2.8 in) in length. They turn yellow in autumn before falling.

This flowering cherry can be planted in isolation, in a small garden, for its charming flowering, elegant habit, and compact size. It will also naturally find its place in a border of small spring-flowering shrubs or in a low and free hedge. It will wonderfully accompany a Japanese quince, a flowering currant, the Chinese almond Multiplex, as well as spring-flowering bulbs. It can also be planted in a pot on a terrace or balcony.

Its long flowering branches will make wonderful first spring bouquets for the home.