Prunus subhirtella Pendula Rubra - Wheeping Cherry

The Prunus (x) subhirtella 'Pendula Rubra' is a variety of Japanese flowering cherry tree that is distinguished by its weeping habit and deep pink flowering, spectacular in early spring. A graceful small tree with long flexible and trailing branches, it bears countless carmine pink flower buds in March-April that open into single flowers of a deep pink color before the leaves appear. Spectacular in March-April, it is magnificent in autumn with its flamboyant yellow and red foliage. Hardy and undemanding in terms of soil, and of a modest size, it combines romanticism, elegance, and robustness. There are many good reasons to adopt this plant, even in a small garden. 

The Prunus (x) subhirtella 'Pendula Rubra' (Synonym Prunus pendula Pendula Rubra), belonging to the large family of Rosaceae, is a small tree grafted on a half-standard. It is commonly accepted nowadays that the Prunus (x) subhirtella from which it originates is a spontaneous hybrid native to East Asia, resulting from the cross-breeding between Prunus incisa and P. pendula. The 'Pendula Rubra' cultivar is distinguished by its weeping habit and abundant spring flowering of a deep pink color.  It is a deciduous tree with a moderately fast growth, reaching an average height of 3 to 4 m (9 ft 10 in to 13 ft 1 in) with a spread of 3 m. It develops a trunk of 1.20 to 1.40 m (3 ft 11 in to 4 ft 7 in), a few slightly upright main branches and trailing branches in a fountain shape. Flowering takes place in March-April depending on the climate, before the appearance of the foliage. The flowers, gathered in small clusters, hanging from a short pedicel, are single. They emerge from elongated carmine pink buds, then open into corollas with 5 dentate petals, of a deep pink color. They are followed by the formation of small black-purple fruits at ripeness. The foliage, deciduous, is composed of alternate ovate leaves, 3 to 8 cm (1.2 to 3.1 in) long and 2 cm (0.8 in) wide, coarsely dentate leaves along the edge. The lamina, of a vibrant green color, shows a pubescent underside and turns yellow, orange, and red in autumn. The bark is dark gray-brown and the young branches are pubescent.

Its twisted form created by sinuous branches makes the flowering cherry tree suitable for bonsai cultivation. 'Pendula Rubra', with its wisteria-like appearance as soon as the first beautiful days of spring arrive, its modest size and easy maintenance, is suitable for small gardens, where it will be particularly highlighted as a standalone specimen, or at the center of a bed of perennials whose blooming will take over from spring to summer. You can also plant it at the back of a bed. Perfectly hardy, it can be grown in many environments, but dislikes compact and clayey soils or overly arid situations. For example, in a bed, it can be associated with other spring-flowering shrubs, simultaneously or staggered, such as forsythias, Japanese quince, Honeysuckle (Lonicera xylosteum), ornamental apple trees, flowering peach trees, Chinese almond tree, hawthorns, Japanese apricot (Prunus mume)... A carpet of blue hyacinths, liverworts or blue grape hyacinths would be a beautiful addition at its base. In a Japanese garden, black Ophiopogon or Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra Aureola) will form a beautiful ground cover that enhances its original silhouette throughout the winter.