Virginia Tech Dendrology

Yoshino cherry Rosaceae Prunus xyedoensis Matsum. (pro sp.) [subhirtella x speciosa] symbol: PRYE
Leaf: Alternate, simple, elliptical, 2 to 4 inches long, finely serrated, shiny dark green and smooth above, veins on underside pubescent, glands on the petiole.
Flower: Very showy, small but very numerous, clustered in groups of 4 or more, pink to white, appearing in early spring before the leaves.
Fruit: Round drupe, 1/2 inch across, black when ripe.
Twig: Slender, reddish brown; buds darker reddish brown, tall and pointed.
Bark: Smooth, reddish gray, with large horizontal lenticels.
Form: A small, wide spreading tree reaching 20 to 30 feet in height.
Looks like: Kwanzan cherry - Higan cherry - birch bark cherry

Additional Range Information: Prunus xyedoensis is planted in the USDA hardiness zones shown above and is not known to widely escape cultivaton. Download the full-size PDF map.
More Information: Fall Color
External Links: USDA Plants Database - Horticulture Information
All material 2025 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information