These are quite large-growing where successful and also quite plain in leaf. Even if feasible in your region you really should try to come up with something smaller (unless your entry is the front lawn of a large estate) and more consistently (through the year) ornamental for a conspicuous location. Lovely in flower, the rest of the time pretty utilitarian-looking.

Actually, it is the front lawn of a large waterfront estate :-)

As you say, it is beautiful in the spring but I have also admired the bare branches and form over the winter and this selection is reported to have color in the fall.

That having been said, I do not look forward to being annoyed by the ongoing battle with beetles and caterpillars. I have successfully eliminated most of their favorite foods over the years.

I am open to alternate suggestions---I have just not been able to come up with any on my own---thus---the questions here.

Maybe compromise on the wide-spreading habit and try something like* this one, said to have "high tolerance to insects and diseases".

*There are other more recently developed or introduced cherries said to be more reliable, check web sites of leading wholesale nurseries - these will also have other non-Prunus kinds of trees that might be suitable candidates. Catering to the needs of the modern consumer is probably pretty important to their own survival (although certain weedy species continue to be prevalent among their offerings in addition to those featuring the narrow or dwarf habits and tolerances to urban conditions that are promised over and over).

To pick up on wholesale growers try searching internet for "nurseries", "wholesale nurseries" etc. The ones with special pages featuring new introductions (especially their own introductions) will be the ones that have new types selected for ease of establishment and trouble-free maintenance, as well as new colors and so forth. (You will also see others of this nature on the site linked to below).

Here is a link that might be useful: The U.S. National Arboretum presents Prunus 'Dream Catcher', a flowering introduction that is sure to catch you in its charming web

Not to come across as snotty in any way but what is the reason you can't use a tree that only lives 20 years under the circumstances? The trees are not usually that expensive and grow very fast. In the case of a large estate if a tree dies, it's just the cycle of life, have the landscaper put in a new one. It's like a flower or annuals. Now if it was a street tree then I'd say not to plant it and use something longer lived.

You are definitely right about the contradictory information on it. Unfortunately I don't know either. What I do know is Bboy was right that it can look a little less than attractive under certain conditions but I don't think you would necessarily have said conditions where you are.

Yoshino cherries are all over the place out here, I have probably seen them in just about the full range of sizes and situations - there is no requirement for certain conditions to be present for them to appear ungracious when not in flower. Strictly a cattleya orchid of a tree, wonderful in bloom and homely when not.

"Out of flower this is an exceptionally poorly shaped tree"

--Mitchell/Jobling, Decorative Trees for Country, Town and Garden

Exceptional heat and drought and compacted nutrient-deficient soil were some of the conditions I was alluding to.

Thanks, guys.

I guess my objection to a short lived variety is probably due to my age, past experiences and Yankee heritage :-)

When we built the house 30 yrs ago, I toyed with expanding the septic. I should have. When I eventually replaced it 25 yrs later, the town made me go 210' into the woods to get it away from the lake.

When we hired a contractor to install the telephone poles (we're a half dozen poles in from the street) I noticed he was installing the tops of broken-off telephone poles. I questioned him about their longevity and he scoffed that they would last a lifetime. I pointed out that I was only 24. Well, a lifetime went by and now I have a lot of poles that need replacing.

You get the idea. I want to do it once---and do it right.

After all these years---and all the landscaping we've done---we had a disaster of epic proportions this past year. This part of the country has been plagued by an outbreak of several types of caterpillars that have totally defoliated trees for three consecutive years. My property was especially hard hit. I have literally well over 100 dead oak trees that I have been taking down for the past month and half. This place that I've been planting---to just my liking---will never look the same again in my lifetime. They did an enormous amount of damage.

So---time to start anew.

As opposed to grandeur and stateliness, the home and surroundings are typical of old Cape Cod; with weathered cedar shingles, white picket fences, climbing roses, hydrangeas, lilacs and so on. The spot for the tree in question is actually just to the side of the picket fence leading down a trail of viburnum Burkwoodii and hybrid lilacs.

I thought the form, bloom and branching structure might look rather nice there but I knew I didn't want the maintenace hassle. I think I actually came here hoping to have someone talk me out of planting a cherry :-)

I thought about one of the pink/red flowering serviceberries but it just didn't say "I'm the perfect tree for this spot"

I read an account of an elderly gent nearby who, at 83, was planting apple trees. I thought about his optimism and hoped to share the same when I'm 83. Regarding this particular tree and it's conspicuous location, I don't want to chop it down and wait for it's replacement to fill in when I'm 83.

So---any good candidates for a 25-30' upright and spreading specimen tree

I have literally well over 100 dead oak trees

What do you think killed the oak trees?

plympton:

When you lose many grand trees, it's traumatic. You want to do whatever you can to prevent this from happening again. Is there a treatment or prevention program?

In southern Virginia, we lost many trees to a hurricane thee years ago. You have to start over. No, it won't be the same, but it can still be splendid. The decisions you make now will be influenced by 30 years of experience and wisdom you didn't have before.

I had a Yoshino cherry tree at my old place, a cottage on the Chesapeake Bay. The tree is 25 years old and puts on a gorgeous show during the first week of April. When a spring storm rolls through, the area beneath the tree is so thick with petals that you cannot see the ground - and that's the end of the show. This cherry has survived several hurricanes and tropical storms.

The tree appears to be very healthy and has been extremely low-maintenance. I never fertilized it. Nothing grows under it but that's fine. I cut the shoots that grow up from the roots by running a lawnmower over them once a year. I love that tree!

Two years ago, I moved to another house a 1/4 mile away. Last year, I planted a young Yoshino cherry tree. I'm 62 and expect to enjoy this tree for the rest of my life - and I expect to live to be 120 or more. But there are no guarantees, with trees or anything else.

If you are concerned that the Yoshino cherry may be damaged or destroyed by these insects, consult with a licensed forester in your town. (link below)

If the cherry gives you pleasure and the forester gives you a green light, you will know what to do.

Pam

Here is a link that might be useful: MA Licensed Foresters by Town

"What do you think killed the oak trees?"

My guess is gypsy moths.

What about a plain, ordinary apple tree? You might or might not get much fruit, if you care, because it would be by itself (unless there are more apple trees nearby that bloom and are compatible pollen sources). And the fruit drop and attendant wasps might be a problem, plus dealing with deer, who love to eat apple trees as well as apples. But if you aren't trying to prune it for maximum fruiting, and you don't care about the possible problems, apples can live for many years, even a 100 years, which should see out your lifetime! You will get the scented flowers in spring, and the branches of older apple trees are a lovely shape. If you get a non-dwarf rootstock, then your tree will be as large (maybe larger) and as spreading as the Yoshino cherry. And, you can eat the apples, after all......

Successful Yoshino cherries grow more than 50 ft. wide. One in Maryland had an average crown spread of 56 ft. during 1990. In my state there are also some apple trees in that range, vigorous and popular ones like 'Gravenstein'.

If considering Malus one of the ornamental ones might provide desired attributes, there are many hybrids being offered with the contemporary market in mind. Otherwise, M. hupehensis has a spreading habit and looks more like a cherry in flower than most other crabapples. Check on regional suitability.

Judging from these photos this one also resembles a Japanese cherry in flower and may also have an architecture that appeals to you (note that it does not have a weeping habit in the usual sense (drooping, pendulous)).

Here is a link that might be useful: Lake County Nursery - Weeping Madonna

Hi all,

I am thinking of planting a Yoshino Cherry in my side yard, approximately 20 feet from my house. Is that far enough away from the house? How many years does it take for the Yoshino to achieve full height and width and what is it's expected full width?

thanks,

Dulcinea

I planted a Yoshino cherry tree when I moved to my present location in Southfield, Michigan in 2001. My starter tree has grown into a a very large tree, perhaps 60 feet tall and quite wide. From my research Yoshino cherry trees live about 30 to 50 years. I love my tree and while it only is in bloom for a short time each year, I look forward to the beautiful clouds of blooms each spring. The tree is green the rest of the spring and summer. The fall color isn't spectacular. My tree is not ungainly or ill shaped at all. One thing about the Yoshino is that while it may not have spectacular fall color or unusual summer foliage, there is no other tree that can rival the Yoshino in early spring when it is in full bloom.

Yoshino cherry trees may only live 15 years, or they can live 60 years, it really depends. Cherry trees generally do not die from "old age", it is other factors.

I have written much more about this topic elsewhere, here let me just copy & paste...

it really depends on the exact climate conditions. Cherry blossom trees can live a long time if the climate conditions are just right: not too dry, but not too humid either, cool and moderate temperatures, but not too freezing in the winter. The foothills of the mountains in central Japan really have the most optimal climate for cherry blossom trees. There are very few other parts of the world that have climate conditions exactly like Japan.

Another thing to mention is that the cultivated varieties of ornamental cherry blossoms are not quite as hardy and resilient as the original native wild varieties (the same phenomena can be observed with other plant species such as roses).

A Yoshino growing in Japan typically has a lifespan of 30 to 50 years, whereas in America it may only be 15 to 20 years. There are some cherry blossoms hundreds of years old in Japan, but they usually require a great amount of care to maintain. Basically cherries can potentially live a long time, but are vulnerable to pests and disease, especially if the climate conditions are not optimal.

The Formosan cherry, and various hybrid varieties thereof (kanzakura, okame, youkouzakura, and very likely 'Pink Cloud' too), tend to be more resilient in warmer climates.

If the climate conditions are not exactly right, the cherry will be more vulnerable to fungal blight and pest problems, which when they inevitably happen 10-20 years down the line, send the tree on a downward spiral eventually resulting in death. This is actually a completely natural part of the tree's life cycle, it is just that this happens a lot sooner in less suitable climates.

There are some huge cherry blossom trees in Japan that are many hundreds of years old, but they require a high level of specialized care to maintain to such an old age.

Cherry trees generally grow very fast in their early years until they reach close to their maximum size, then they start growing at a much slower rate. You will likely have a full sized tree after only 12-15 years.

for a small tree I tend to reccomend japanese maple and eastern redbud

Those are nice small trees.

I'm glad my tree is doing so well after almost 15 years of Michigan winters and summer drought. If mine does die I will replace it with another Yoshino cherry tree. Mine did take about 10 years to reach full size I believe. It grew with amazing speed.