And a Great big WELCOME BACK to you. Great to see you posting. I have a vitex, but I'm not sure exactly which one it is. Here it only gets a about 3-4' tall and pretty well dies back each winter. I'm sure there are some seeds hanging on it yet if you'd like them. Also, I have a club moss, though no seeds. I'm not sure of the name, but if you might be interested in a little plant trade later, I will try to get it identified and attempt to transplant some. It is so pretty in the woods year round here where there is little else green except for the ceders and the invasive honeysuckle. Let me know if you are interested in the Vitex. if so, I'll harvest some. Sue...so glad to see you back

the name prunus.. to me, anyway .. indicates that it has a history of needing to be .... get ready ... pruned ... lol branches incapable of supporting themselves.. MIGHT be an indication of over fertilization.. where in the plant grew out .. faster than it bulked up .. leading to whispy branches ... prune them back half way... and i wouldnt be surprised that the shorter branch simply springs up into better form .... as that shorter branch thickens... you will be able to get longer reach ... now.. how did it come to be over fertilized... being a tree ... it NEVER needs fert ... did or do you fert??/ then of course.. the birds are adding fert ... all trees need is water.. and they will grow accordingly.. if you are fert'ing.. stop ... and we can live with what the birds add ... in winter .. there is a drawdown of sap ... increased in extreme cold.. and MAYBE that is what is happening .... in my world.. my eye are more improtant than tree branches... get some good pruning shears .. and bring the branches up high enough so that you can safely walk under them ... if you need help with pruning... get a good pic.. and we can make suggestions ... its a prunus... it needs to be pruned... lol ken

I was able to find a very informative site, which gives the origins of the different cherry blossom varieties (you might have to copy and paste the link) http://botanyboy.org/yoshino-cherry-tree-prunus-x-yedoensis-the-famous-japanese-cherry-blossom/ There are nine main different varieties of cherry that grow in the wild in Japan: Yamazakura (Prunus jamasakura) Oyamazakura (Prunus sargentii) Kasumisakura (Prunus verecunda) Oshimazakura (Prunus speciosa) Edohigan (Prunus Ascendens spachiana) Mamesakura (Prunus incise) Choujizakura (Prunus apetala) Minezakura (Prunus nipponica) Miyamazakura (Prunus maximowiczii) The Yoshino cherry was the result of a single hybridization between Edohigan and Oshimazakura. Cherries with the name 'Serrulata' are those found in the Satozakura group, which are the cultivated cherries. These derive mainly from a number of the wild Japanese varieties listed above. In addition, there is the Kanhizakura (Prunus campanulata), which was brought to Japan much later, and can tolerate warmer climates.

Actually 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 ), tend to be more resilient in warmer climates. Pink Cloud is another hybrid variety as well, suitable to warmer climate zones. It originated by chance from a white-petaled serrulata variety growing at Huntington Gardens, and was very likely pollinated by one of the Formosan cherries growing in the surrounding vicinity. Unfortunately none of these warm climate hybrids really have quite the same beautiful shaped blooms of Mt Fuji.