In Japanese gardens, as I write in this page, green is more important than flower. Still flowers are essensial element.
Cherry
Cherry
tree is essential in the most important tree in gardens in
Japan. Not only old style Japanese garden, cherry tree is planted even
in modern gardens.
It blooms in Spring. Cherry blossom is magnificently beautiful, but rest of spring, cherry tree is not good tree at all. The shape of the branch is not neat and they have too many leaves. In addition, many kinds of hairy caterpillars love their leaves and they get diseases quite often.
There are so many cultivars, so, here I will introduce only famous and popular cherries in Japan.
Someiyoshino
This tree is
the most planted cherry in Japan. Not only
in garden, but also this is common roadside tree.
Like the other cherry trees, Someiyoshino blooms before leaves appear. The petal is almost white and slightly pink.
Shidarezakura
This is a
weeping tree having pink flower. It is gaudy in full bloom and it is
not becoming in the traditional garden.
As long as where I live, I can find this tree in many places because former mayor loves this tree.
Yaezakura
Yaezakura
is a double-flower cherry tree which defined having more than five petals. There are many
cultivars. Originally, yae means eightfold. Some of this
cherry have 100 or more petals. The colour is pink. It blooms a little
later than Someiyoshino.
Japanese apricot (Ume)
Ume is deciduous tree blooms in during the end of winter. Then leaves has not appeared yet.Flowers have red, pink, or white.
Not like cherry, Japanese apricot doesn't have many flowers even in
full bloom.
Some ume weep.
Kobushi Magnolia (Kobushi)
Kobushi
Magnolia is deciduous Japanese native tree. It grows 10m or higher tall.
Flower blooms very early in spring. In Japan, this blooming is notification of spring. Like other Magnolia, it flowers before leaves appear. Flower is approx 10 cm and white.
Kousa dogwood (Yamaboushi)
Kousa
dogwood is a deciduous tree. The blooming is June. Flower is white with
having four distinctive petals(actually bracts). A shape of a
flower seems to be star mark.
It doensn't grows tall. It will be at most 10 m.
Japanese Stewartia (Natsu-tsubaki)
In Japan, this tree is called summer-camelia.
This deciduous tree flowers around July. Flower is white and 5cm.
The flower lasts only one day. Leaves are not glossy. A bark is smooth.
It grows slowly and acidic soils are prefered.
