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Higan Cherry Wikimedia Commons
Rosaceae

Higan Cherry

Prunus subhirtella

Transience of life and the bittersweet beauty of impermanence.

Family
Rosaceae
Genus
Prunus
Native to
Japan
Bloom season
Early Spring, Fall
Type
deciduous tree
Height
500–1200 cm
Sunlight
full sun
Soil
moist, well-drained, fertile
Water
moderate
Hardiness
4–8
Lifespan
perennial; 50–100+ years

Did you know

  • The name 'higan' refers to the Japanese Buddhist equinox festival, as the tree often blooms around the spring equinox.
  • The weeping form 'Pendula' is one of the most photographed ornamental trees in Japan's cherry blossom season.
  • Some cultivars bloom twice — once in autumn and again in spring — an unusual trait called 'rebloom.'
  • The famous Miharu Takizakura in Fukushima is a weeping higan cherry over 1,000 years old and a national monument.
  • Higan cherry is one parent of the Yoshino cherry (Prunus x yedoensis), the iconic tree of Washington D.C.'s Tidal Basin.

Color meanings

0

impermanence

1

renewal

2

gentle beauty

Uses

  • ornamental tree
  • cherry blossom festivals
  • park plantings
  • bonsai
  • avenue trees