When neighbors plant a new tree on their side of the property line, it feels to me like I’ve got a new tree of my very own. In this case the tree is a Yoshino Cherry (Prunus x yedoensis), and its first season of profuse bloom is happening right now.
Not that a Yoshino Cherry would have been my first choice. Gently I tried to steer my neighbors towards a small native flowering tree, but without avail. The Yoshinos are hybrid trees from Japan, all of them clones from the same specimen, or so I am told.
Still, it would be churlish not to appreciate what the Yoshino Cherry has to offer. Its white flowers are lovely, and coincide with the flowering of our two ‘Autumn Brilliance’ Serviceberry (Amelanchier x grandiflora) that are right across the fence. The white blooms of all three trees make a pleasing sight.
Also, I’m looking forward to the Yoshino Cherry’s small fruits (about 0.3″) that are supposed to be highly attractive to birds. Maybe we’ll be visited by Cedar Waxwings. But then the Robins and Cardinals are particularly fond of the Serviceberries that ripen in June.
I wonder if the Yoshino Cherry has anything to say to its wilder North American cousins the Chokecherries (Prunus virginiana ‘Schubertii’), which are within hailing distance over on our side of the fence. Is the cultural gap too wide, or does a distant common ancestry provide some basis for a relationship?
Before closing, I must acknowledge the other woody plant blooming in our garden right now: the Clove Currant (Ribes odoratum). Planted right by the sidewalk, this shrub is entrancing dog walkers and strolling families alike with its incredible fragrance. Nudging it into a less awkward shape is an ongoing challenge, but one that is more than justified by the fabulous scent.
