Flowering Cherry Tree's

Flowering Cherry Tree's

🌸 Flowering Cherry Trees: The Springtime Stars of Your Garden

Who doesn't love a flowering cherry in full bloom?  For a few weeks every spring, they put on a show that’s hard to ignore, then they settle in quietly and do their job the rest of the year, adding structure, form and calm to the garden.

That balance, a real seasonal wow-factor without being high-maintenance, is part of why flowering cherries are so popular with home gardeners, landscapers, and anyone wanting to add shape and softness to their outdoor space.

Most varieties are surprisingly adaptable, especially once they’re established. They’re not the type of tree you need to fuss over. And here in North Canterbury, they handle the seasonal swings well — from dry summers to cooler winters.

Whether you're after something formal, a bit more relaxed, or just a tree that earns its keep with colour and structure, there’s probably a flowering cherry that’ll fit the bill.

🌳 Shapes & Sizes: From Graceful Weepers to Upright Beauties

Flowering cherries come in a variety of growth habits, and it’s worth understanding how each type matures before choosing one for your space. The shape the tree takes on-whether upright, weeping, or spreading-will determine how it fits into your landscape long-term.

Upright Forms 

Upright cherries are ideal when space is limited or where you want to introduce some height without the spread. These are often used along driveways, in tight garden beds, or as accent trees near buildings.

  • Prunus ‘Amanogawa’ – A narrow, columnar cherry that’s well-suited to urban gardens or formal planting schemes. It produces lightly fragrant, soft pink flowers in late spring and grows with a tidy, vertical form that doesn’t need much shaping.
  • Prunus ‘Shimidsu Sakura’ – A spreading, yet narrow flowering cherry with arching branches forming a flat top.  Pink buds open to fully double flowers of palest pink which fade to white, in pendulous clusters.  Orange and red leaves in Autumn.

Weeping Forms

Weeping cherries are more architectural and tend to become natural focal points. Their branches arch downwards, often touching the ground, which creates a soft, cascading effect when in bloom.

  • Prunus ‘Falling Snow’ – A white-flowered weeping cherry with a graceful, arching habit. It’s compact but still makes a strong statement, particularly when planted in open lawn or near a seating area. (Coming in 2026)
  • Prunus subhirtella pendula 'Rosea' – The weeping branches of this flowering cherry create a spreading, fountain effect. Its branches are smothered with deep pink buds and flowers during spring, with its leaves turning orange in autumn. (Coming in 2026)

Spreading or Rounded Forms

These cherries develop broader canopies and are better suited to larger spaces or where you’re after a more traditional shade tree effect. Their mature forms add softness and volume to the garden.

  • Prunus ‘Shimidsu Sakura’ – Grows with a wide, balanced shape and produces large, peony-like double flowers that fade from pale pink to white. It’s reliable, and looks particularly striking when planted on its own.
  • Prunus ‘Accolade’ – A rounded, semi-spreading tree with graceful branches and masses of semi-double rose pink flowers. It’s often one of the first cherries to bloom, making it a good choice if you want early spring colour.
  • Prunus ‘Awanui’ – An erect, vase-shaped, spreading grower.  In mid summer it becomes smothered in fragrant, blush pink, single blossoms.  Makes a great avenue tree.  The foliage turns yellow and orange in autumn.

🌺 Flower Power: Blush Pinks, Bold Whites & Everything In Between

One of the best parts of planting a flowering cherry is choosing your flower colour and style — and there’s more variety here than most people expect.

You’ve got delicate whites, classic soft pinks, and rich deep pinks, along with single, semi-double, and fully double bloom forms. Some flowers hang delicately along the branch, others bunch up like little pom-poms — each variety brings a slightly different effect.

A few standouts from the CJ’s range:

  • Prunus ‘Accolade’ – One of the earliest to flower, with semi-double rose-pink blooms that almost shimmer in the sunlight.
  • Prunus  x 'yedoensis’ – Blush-white single blooms with single blossoms make this cherry spectacular when in full flower.
  • Prunus ‘Shimidsu Sakura’ – Huge double blooms that start soft pink and fade to white as they age — this one almost looks like a flowering peony.
  • Prunus ‘Kanzan’ – Popular for its rich pink, fully double flowers in October.
  • Prunus ‘Awanui’ – Blush pink, single blossoms cover this tree in Spring.  Famously know for being the Hagley Park Cherry Blossom.

Most flowering cherries are relatively short-lived bloomers — around 2 to 3 weeks at their peak — but that short window is part of their charm. When they’re flowering, everything else in the garden takes a back seat.

🌱 Planting Tips & Landscape Ideas

Getting the most out of your flowering cherry starts with good planting decisions — from choosing the right spot to preparing the soil.

🌤️ Positioning

Flowering cherries are sun-lovers. They’ll give you the best bloom and healthiest growth in full sun, though they can tolerate light shade. In exposed areas, try to give them some shelter from harsh winds, especially while they’re young.  High winds will also reduce their flowering period.

When it comes to layout:

  • Line them along a driveway for a strong seasonal feature — upright forms like Shimdsu Sakura or Amanogawa work well here.
  • Use a single tree as a focal point in a lawn or open area — weeping types or rounded forms like Awanui or Falling Snow are ideal.
  • Group two or three in a corner or bed to create a small flowering grove — make sure to allow for their mature size.

🌱 Soil & Drainage

Flowering cherries prefer free-draining soil with decent fertility. Heavy clay soils can be a problem — especially in winter — as cherries don’t like sitting in waterlogged ground.

If you’re dealing with clay:

  • Consider raising the planting area slightly and mixing in organic matter or coarse sand to help with drainage.
  • Avoid planting in low spots where water collects.

They’ll do best in slightly acidic to neutral soil (pH around 6 to 7), but they’re not too picky as long as the ground drains well.

💧 Establishment & Care

  • Mulch around the base to retain moisture and suppress weeds — just keep it away from the trunk.
  • Water regularly during the first two summers, especially in dry spells. After that, they’ll cope well on their own.
  • Pruning is minimal - mostly to remove dead or crowded branches and maintain shape. Do this in late summer or early autumn to reduce disease risk.

🛒 Where to Buy Your Flowering Cherry Trees

We’ve hand-picked our flowering cherry collection based on how well these varieties perform here in North Canterbury — with a focus on strong form, good bloom quality, and reliable growth habits.

You can view and order your tree online anytime:
👉 View CJ’s Full Flowering Cherry Collection

Or pop into the nursery in Amberley — we’re always happy to talk through options and help you pick the right one for your garden.

🌸 Ready to Plant a Bit of Spring Magic?

Have we inspired you?  

If you're thinking about adding one (or a few) to your space, now’s a great time to plan ahead. Whether you’re after structure, colour, or just a moment of beauty every spring, there’s a cherry that’ll do the job.

Got questions? We’re happy to help.

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