Tree of Merit: Higan Cherry
(Prunus subhirtella 'Autumnalis')
By Jean Zimmerman
Consulting Arborist for SavATree and MFI Graduate
A tree so nice it blossoms twice?
That's the magnificent, double-flowering Higan
cherry (Prunus subhirtella 'Autumnalis'), the rare
arboricultural specimen that blooms once in spring
and then returns for a blossoming encore in the
warm days of early autumn. Prunus subhirtella and
its cultivars are also known as the Edo cherry or
Edo Higan (Edo is the former name of Tokyo).
The semi-double, ten-petal flowers of 'Autumnalis'
range from deep pink in bud to near-white in bloom.
Lustrous dark green leaves follow. With the change of
seasons, 'Autumnalis' comes alive a second time with a
profusion of blossoms, standing out amid the autumnal
foliage. Thirst for nectar drives bees to swarm the
flowering branches, and birds also visit for the bitter,
pea-size black berries that ripen over the summer.
Compared to other cherry tree taxa, 'Autumnalis'
is more cold-hardy, heat and stress tolerant, and
long lived, flourishing in Zones 5-8. Fast growing,
urban-forestry.com 39
it sees height increases of more than 24 inches (61
cm) per year, typically reaching 20 to 30 feet (6.1 to
9.1 m). The tree grows in full sun and partial shade,
and though like most trees it prefers moist, well-
drained soil, it can tolerate less than ideal soils.
Cherry blossom time is known lovingly as sakura
in Japan. Traditionally, the Japanese mark early
spring with parties under the laden branches, a
custom called "watching blossoms" or "flower
viewing" that goes back thousands of years.
In 1912, the government of Japan presented over
three thousand cherry trees to Washington D.C.
They have been replenished ever since. The National
Cherry Blossom Festival in the District features
'Autumnalis' among other cherries (per the National
Park Service, it constitutes approximately 3% of the
Tidal Basin cherry tree taxa). Wherever 'Autumnalis'
resides, if you miss them in spring, you'll have
another chance to see their blooms come fall.
Left: An 'Autumnalis' blooming in London in mid-December. Photo by Paul Wood, author of London's Street Trees: A
Field Guide to the Urban Forest and creator of popular Instagram account @thestreettree. Middle: Prunus subhirtella
'Autumnalis' flowers. Photo by David Stang Wikimedia CC 4.0. Right: Foliage of Higan cherry. Photo by Lucy Bradley CCO.
