Japanese Cherry Shirotae, Mount Fuji

A beautiful, small-growing form of gently weeping cherry, Prunus shirotae is a fantastic Japanese flowering cherry known as Mount Fuji. It was introduced to Britain in the early 1900s from Japan and won the Award of Garden Merit in 2002.

The foliage of the Mount Fuji Cherry tree appears first as a green fringe throughout the tree, swiftly followed by a combination of large single and semi-double pure white flowers. It is simply stunning when in flower. The flowers seem delicate yet are profuse and significant at the same time.

Prunus shirotae has an attractive, gently weeping-shaped crown that can develop almost horizontal branches as the tree matures.

Like all Japanese Cherry trees, Mount Fuji prefers to be grown in free-draining soil, as they do not enjoy wetting their feet.

When planting Prunus shirotae, it is worth considering the other planting for your scheme; it is certainly a tree that needs to steal the show when in flower, so it is best planted where it can be displayed to maximum effect as a focal point or in a spot where the flowers can be viewed against a bright blue spring sky.

Mature height: 3-7m

Common names

Japanese Cherry Shirotae, Mount Fuji

Height of tree

3-7m

Soil type

Well drained, Will tolerate most soil types

Shape

Weeping

Blossom Colour

White

Foliage Colour

Green

Information Flags

Good for bees

Location

Garden, Parkland

Genus

Prunus