Description
Prunus Autumnalis, or the ‘Autumn Cherry Tree’, offers year-round interest with its winter flowers, fresh green foliage and strong autumn colour. A fantastic tree for the smaller garden.
This flowering cherry tree is valued for its bell-shaped, semi-double white flowers which appear in bursts from late autumn through to early spring: the flowers appear on bare stems and look truly stunning in a winter garden. The flowers open from pink buds and some of the petals have a pink tint to them. The simple flowers are delicate and truly charming: they add a much-needed dose of floral beauty over the colder months.
In spring, the leaves appear and are at first a bronzed green, later maturing to a rich, deeper green. By summer, the winter flowers have become small fruits, which are often enjoyed by the birds. This tree also boasts a good autumn leaf colour, with the ovate and sharply-toothed leaves turning to blistering shades of orange and russet red before falling.
This is a hardy tree that is suitable for planting in a range of situations: it has an attractive, spreading habit and it works really well as an ornamental specimen. With a fairly small eventual height and spread, the ‘Autumnalis’ can be planted in a smaller garden.
One obvious choice for a planting partner is the simply stunning ‘Prunus Autumnalis Rosea’, but if you want something a little different then we would recommend the ‘Prunus Royal Burgundy’ as the wine-red foliage of the Royal Burgundy makes the perfect foil for the deep green leaves.
Common Name: Autumn Cherry Tree
Latin Name: Prunus x subhirtella ‘Autumnalis’
Special features: White flowers from late autumn, through winter until spring. (Deciduous)
