Prunus incisa 'Kojo-no-mai'
Fuji cherry
This shrub is deciduous so it will lose all its leaves in autumn, then fresh new foliage appears again each spring.
- Position: full sun
- Soil: moderately fertile, moist, well-drained soil
- Rate of growth: slow
- Flowering period: March to April
- Hardiness: fully hardy
This is a pretty, delicate-looking, deciduous shrub with wiry twigs that burst into life in late winter and early spring when the crimson buds open to display pale pink flowers. The young leaves are long and pale green, growing darker with age, and turning glorious shades of red and orange in autumn. It has a compact, rounded shape and a gently spreading habit, which makes it an excellent shrub for small gardens, or for a Japanese-style garden.
When planting your ornamental cherry, prepare a hole up to three times the diameter of its root system. Fork over the base of the pit in readiness, incorporating plenty of organic matter into the backfill and planting hole. Avoiding frozen and waterlogged soil, trees should be planted out as they arrive. If you've ordered a bare root tree, soak the roots in a bucket of water for half an hour prior to planting, or if this is not possible, they can be heeled in temporarily, covering their roots with soil, or potted up. Choose a sheltered spot to protect emerging blossom. Lightly prune in summer to reduce the risk of silver leaf and bacterial canker, to retain an open shape and remove any damaged, diseased or broken branches.