Scientific Name : Prunus campanulata Maxim.
Common Name : Taiwan Cherry
Chinese Name : 鐘花櫻桃, 山櫻, 緋寒櫻
Family : ROSACEAE
Local distribution status : Exotic species
| Origin | Southeast China, Hainan and Taiwan. |
|---|---|
| Application | The difference between Japan and Hong Kong is that the climate in Hong Kong, which it is not suitable for the growth of Cherry blossom trees. In respect of its delightful flowers, the tree is sporadically planted in parks and gardens. Taiwan Cherry is one of the common Cherry blossom trees that we can see in Hong Kong, creating a wonderful landscape with endless blooming in Yuen Long Park and Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden during the late winter or early spring. |
| Meaning of names | The specific epithet campanulata is to describe its bell-shaped flowers. |
| Cherry blossom trees in Japan |
Prunus spp. has been widely cultivated/hybridized for proliferating the diversity of floral shapes and colours. To maintain ubiquitous blossoming, the trees are always propagated by grafting to ensure every tree is a ‘clone’ of the mother tree. Cherry blossom trees are culturally important and considered as the national flower of Japan. Its blossoms in Japanese are pronounced as Sakura. Japanese people are passionate about Sakura. Early in the Heian period (794 to 1185), their ancestors already recognized the transient beauty of the blossoms and conferred them multiple praises. Today, Japanese people have pursued the flower-viewing activity in every spring, well-known as Hanami. With a great appetite for the blossoms, Japanese people have excitedly engaged in cultivating Cherry blossom trees. Prunus × yedoensis, a hybrid of Prunus lannesiana and Prunus speciosa, is currently the most dominant Cherry blossom tree that has spread throughout Japan. Supported by recent molecular data, all Prunus × yedoensis in Japan could be cloned from the same mother tree. In other words, they are genetically the same. It would be exciting if scientists can endeavour on studying if other Cherry blossom trees are sharing the comparable phenomenon and soon ascertain the comprehensive history of cultivation of these marvellous plants. |
| Growing habit | Small deciduous tree. |
|---|---|
| Height | To 10 m. |
| Stem | Bark dark brown, smooth, lustrous, lenticellate. |
| Leaves | Winter buds ovoid, glabrous. Petioles grooved, with 2 glands at apex. Stipules ciliate, caducous. Simple leaves alternate. Blade glabrous, ovate, ovate-elliptic or obovate-elliptic, apex acuminate, base round or heart-shaped, margin acutely and usually somewhat irregularly serrate. |
| Flowers | Solitary or few corymbose, usually 2-4 clustering in leaf axils. Calyx tube campanulate , pendulous, red, pink, scarlet, calyx deep rose, campanulate, bracts brown, pedicels slender. Stamens many, yellow. Hermaphroditic. |
| Fruits | Drupes ovoid, turning drupe red when mature. |
| Flowering period | / |
| Fruiting period | / |
Scientific name above is based on Hong Kong Herbarium website : https://herbarium.gov.hk/en/hk-plant-database/plant-detail/index.html?pType=species&oID=7222
Scientific names from other databases :
― Flora of China : Cerasus campanulata (Maximowicz) A. N. Vassiljeva.
― Plant of the World Online : Prunus campanulata Maxim.