Prunus subhirtella pendula or Weeping Higan Cherry is an ornamental medium size deciduous flowering tree that is native to Japan introduced into the US in about 1862. It typically grows 20 to 30 feet tall with a pronounced weeping form of slender whip-like branches and light pink to rose-pink flowers. The 3/4 to1 inch flowers are borne in clusters of 2 to 5 flowered umbels in late winter to early spring before the leaves emerge. Flowers are followed by 1/3 inch rounded pea-sized fruits that are sometimes sparse. The fruits eventually mature to black, but are basically inedible. Fruits may not appear in some years. The bark is bronzy-copper in color and lenticel, becoming gray in color and platy to exfoliating with age. Leaves are Elliptic to ovate, doubly serrate to 4 inches long and stay glossy green throughout the summer and into the fall when they turn a red or vivid yellow before leaving the tree bare in winter. The drooping bare branches even lend a soothing grace to the landscape in winter. There is nothing quite like the Weeping Higan Cherry in full bloom in the spring.
