Yokohama-hizakura

Prunus 'Yokohama-hizakura'

'Yokohama-hizakura' is another of the more recent early flowering cherry cultivars developed in Japan. It is the cherry flower that heralds the arrival of Spring in Yokohama and as such has been extensively planted in parks, streets, etc., throughout Yokohama City, being particularly popular for its striking red flower colour.

The flower are single, round and relatively large, some  2.5 to 3.5 cm (1.5") in diameter, and are slightly pendant, reminiscent of its P. campanulata parentage. The flower colour is darker than Kanzakura, and variable through scarlet, red, light red, and rarely white The petals have dark pink lines. The calyx tube is bell-shaped and thick, while the flower buds are quite dark red. Many flowers bloom at the tip of branches. The flowering period is from early Spring to Spring, before the elliptical, serrated leaves appear. Its blooming period is a little earlier than the blooming period of the Tokyo Cherry ('Somei-yoshino') and lasts a little longer.

 It forms a small tree about 5m (16 ft) tall.

This cultivar was created around 1972 by Mr Isao Shirai, a gardener living in Yokohama, by crossing the early-blooming bright red P. campanulata (Bell-flowered cherry or ‘Kanhizakura’) with the disease-resistant wild cherry P. jamasakura ‘Kenrokuen Kumagai’. It was registered in January 1985 with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

The scientific name is "Prunus × kanzakura 'Yokohama-hizakura'" and the name is "Yokohama Hizakura". The hizakura suffix is an old name applied to cherry cultivars having more brightly coloured flowers.

Location

• One in the Memorial Garden, square K11, tag 4345. Planted in 2022.