Cerasus jamasakura var. jamasakura (hill cherry)

Japanese name: ヤマザクラ （山桜）
Scientific name: Cerasus jamasakura var. jamasakura

[Overview]
A deciduous tree reaching 25 m in height and 1 m in trunk diameter.
The trunk is purplish brown to dark purplish brown with conspicuous, horizontally elongated lenticels.
Young branches are purplish brown and glossy.
The color of the young leaves varies, but they are usually reddish.
The leaves are oblong-elliptic, 8–12 cm long and 3–4.5 cm wide, with a sharply pointed tip and a rounded to wedge-shaped base.
The underside of mature leaves is tinged with powdery white.
There are 2 nectar glands on the upper part of the petiole.
The leaf margin has single serration with teeth ending in glands.
The flowers open at the same time as the leaves unfold.
The flowers are borne 2–4 in a corymb arising in the leaf axils; they are usually white, sometimes pale pink, with 5 petals, and 3–3.7 cm across.
The petals are broadly obovate, 11–19 mm long.
The calyx tube is 5–7 mm long, and the calyx lobes are oblong-lanceolate with entire margins.
The flower stalk is 0.5–1.5 cm long and the pedicel is 1.4–3.2 cm.
The fruit is spherical, 9–10 mm across, ripens to blackish purple, and is bitter.

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

[Notes]
Yoshino-yama in Nara is famous as one of its well-known sites.

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