Cerasus serrulata ‘Sekiyama’

Japanese name: サトザクラ 関山
Scientific name: Cerasus serrulata ‘Sekiyama’

[Overview]
A cultivar of Sato-zakura.
A deciduous tree.
The young leaves are at first brown tinged with reddish purple.
The leaves are simple and alternate, elliptic to obovate, 7–15 cm long, with a tail-like pointed tip.
The upper surface of the leaf is smooth.
The serrations are a mixture of single and double serrations, and the tips of the serrations extend into fine threads.
The petiole is 2 cm long, with 2 dark reddish purple nectar glands a little below the upper end.
It flowers at the same time as the leaves unfold.
The flowers are borne 3–5 in umbels to corymbs arising from the leaf axils, and hang down.
The flowers are about 5 cm across and pale reddish purple, with 20–45 petals that are irregularly twisted.
The inner petals stand upright.
There are 30–50 stamens.
There are 2 pistils, usually with the lower part turned leaf-like; the leaf-like part is green and serrated.
The calyx lobes are brown tinged with reddish purple, glossy, entire, and sometimes have a few marginal hairs.
The flower stalk is 1.5–3 cm long, and the pedicel is 2.5–3 cm long.

[History]
It is a cultivar that was grown on the Arakawa embankment in Tokyo.

[Uses]
The flowers are salted and used for sakurayu (cherry blossom tea) and similar.

[Cultivation]
Propagate by cuttings or grafting.
It prefers a sunny, well-drained place.
If it becomes too large in a garden, it is good to restrict the space for the roots to spread with a fabric pot in order to control the size of the tree.
While it is a young tree, protect it from frost by laying straw around the base.
Also, it is better not to cut branches needlessly if there is no need.
Pests and diseases are numerous, so care is needed.

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