Weeping cherry trees must be included in any Top 10 list of weeping trees, since they are spectacular blooming specimens for the spring landscape. In fact, below I mention two additional cherry blossom trees that do not have a weeping habit, so as not to shortchange the contribution of joy that Japanese cherry trees bring to our spring yards.
The weeping Higan cherry (see photo at right for a picture of this flowering tree) can be grown in zones 4-8. Weeping Higan cherry trees (Prunus subhirtella 'Pendula') produce pink to white flowers in profusion, if grown in full sun and well-drained soil. This weeping cherry tree attains a height of 20'-30' and a spread 15'-25'.
"Snow Fountains" weeping cherry (Prunus 'Snow Fountains' or 'Snofozam') is suitable for landscapes in zones 5-8. Height 8'-15', spread 6'-8'. Snow Fountains blooms best in full sun and well-drained soil. A slow-growing ornamental, the branches of this weeping cherry cascade right down to the ground. For a picture of this spring-blooming favorite, see photo #2 above (accessed by clicking on photo #1 to open the mini-photo gallery).
Snow Fountains and weeping Higan are the first two entries in the present Top 10 list, the other eight members of which we'll encounter on Pages 2 and 3. All the entries on this Top 10 list make excellent focal points in your landscaping. But while on the subject of cherry blossom trees, it's hard to pass over a couple of widely grown specimens with an upright (i.e., non-weeping) form.
One of the most popular Japanese cherry trees in North America, Prunus serrulata 'Kwanzan', grows 15'-25' x 15'-25'. Its white to pink blooms will be most impressive when the tree is grown in full sun with good drainage. Zones 5-8.
Another cherry tree with an upright habit, the purple leaf sand cherry tree (Prunus x cistena) is suitable for growing in zones 3-8. Purple leaf sand cherry has a moderate growth rate and, like the other cherries, prefers full sun and a well-drained soil. Height 7'-14', spread 7'-10'. An added bonus with this ornamental cherry is its striking summer-long reddish-purple foliage and its fragrant flowers. For a picture of purple leaf sand cherry, see photo #3 above (accessed by clicking on photo #1 to open the mini-photo gallery).
Returning to the subject of weeping trees, on Page 2 let's meet entries three, four and five of the Top 10 list of weeping trees....
