yokihi

Prunus 'Yokihi'

Sato-zakura Group

Syn: P. serrulata mollis Miyoshi, P. lannesiana ‘Mollis

A small to moderate sized tree (to c. 6m (20') high),with widely ascending or spreading branches. It flowers abundantly with large semi-double flowers with c.14 petals, 3.5 to 4.0 cm (c.1.6") dia., in loose corymbs of 3 - 4 flowers. Pink buds open to whitish light pink flowers with inner row of petals noticeably paler than the outer row which have a darker outer edge. Peduncles are short, similar in length to the pedicels, i.e.1.0 - 2.0 cm (0.4 - 0.8") long. Flowers mid-April in Tokyo, slightly later in UK.  The young leaves unfurl bronzy-green.

Cherry ‘Yokihi’ is often quoted as coming from Nara. However, there is no reference in literature prior to 1681 after which it appears frequently. Collingwood (Cherry) Ingram imported ‘Yokihi’ to UK.

Yokihi is the Japanese pronounciation of the Chinese characters for the name Yang Kuifei (719 - 756 AD), a famed beautiful concubine of an Emperor of the Tang dynasty; she was killed by competitors during a period of turmoil, celebrated in a classic Chinese poem highly influential with Japanese literature. The blushing pink flower colour and the abundance of many-petalled flowers is considered very Chinese by the Japanese - resembling Tree Paeonies. (Kuitert 1999).

‘Yokihi’ resembles the sato-kukuri ‘Edo-zakura’ and ‘Ito-kukuri’ but is distinguished from them by having fewer flowers per cluster.

Manual of Japanese Flowering Cherries No. 113

Location

• One on embankment between running track and houses; square G6/H6; tag 4069. Planted in 2008.