April Tree-of-the-Month

CherryPrunus spp.

125 ArborwayBoston, MA 02130-3500617-384-5209 www.arboretum.harvard.edu

Parts of a cherry flower1 petal2 pistils and stamens3 oval petal with indentation4 bud5 pedicel6 bracts7 calyx8 sepal

The flowering time of cherries, like most spring flowering plants, is dependent on a combination of day length and temperature. Different types have different blooming times. Most cherries have 5 petals but some have as many as 50. Bud and flower color ranges from red to pink to white.

Flowering cherries have ornamental features beyond their blossoms. Summer and fall foliage, and ornamental bark, add year-round interest to the tree. On some, the lenticels (porus lines through which gases are exchanged) form distinctive patterns on the trunk and branches.

Most of the cherry trees growing at the Arboretum are grown for their flower, not fruit, and are native to several countries in Asia including Japan, China, Korea and Taiwan.

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Illustrated Floral Morphology by Matsuoka (1758)

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April FlowersThe different cherry trees bloom at various times throughout the month, so visit often. In addition to the mapped locations, there are beautiful trees on the west side of Peters Hill.

(Main Entrance)

N

Mea

dow

Road

Forest Hills Road

Valley Road

Cen

tre

Stre

et

Centre

Stre

et

Bussey Street

Arborway/ Route 203

Sout

hSt

reet

Sout

hSt

reet

Wal

ter S

t ree

t

Was

hing

ton

Stre

et

Will

owPa

th

Linde

nPa

th

Conifer Path

Oak Path Cinese

hPath

Blac

kwel l

Path

Beech

Path

W ELD HILL

PETERS HILL

HEMLOCK HILL

BUSSEY HILL

W ASHINGTONSTREETGATE

W ALTER STREETGATE

SOUTH STREETGATE

POPLARGATE

PETERS HILLGATE

M ENDUM STREETGATE

FOREST HILLSGATECENTRE STREET

GATE

BUSSEY STREETGATE

ARBORWAYGATE

LEVENTRITTS HRUB AND V INEG ARDEN

LARZ A NDERSONBONSAI COLLECTION

EXPLORER’S GARDEN

BRADLEYROSACEOUSCOLLECTION

Forest HillsOrange Line

HUNNEWELLVISITOR CENTER

DanaGreenhouse

.25 km. .50 km.

mi. mi. mi. mi.

Did you know?For centuries, the Japanese have valued cherry tree blossoms, called sakura. The beauty of the flowers and their brief life at the beginning of spring symbolize the essence of a human’s short, but well-lived life. Cherry blossom festivals are a special feature of Japanese life. Festival activities include picnicking under the trees, playing games, listening to musical instruments, singing, painting, and writing poetry.

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Letterboxing!Letterboxing is a fun way to explore the flowering cherry trees of the Arboretum.For more information on letterboxing, go to www.letterboxing.org.

Sargent cherry (history) Prunus sargentii

Okame cherry (ornamental bark) Prunus ‘Okame’

Takane cherry (early blooming) Prunus nipponica

Higan cherry (weeping) Prunus subhirtella ‘Pendula’

Yoshino cherry (Washington DC) Prunus x yedoensis

Cyclamin cherry (flower) Prunus cyclamina

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198 ft.198 ft.

170 ft.170 ft.

240 ft.240 ft.

174 ft.

POPLARGATE

HUNNEWELLVISITOR CENTER

FOREST HILLSGATE

ARBORWAYGATE

L EVE NTRIT TS HRUB AN D V I N E

G ARDE N

L ARZ A N DERSONB ONSAI C OLLECTION

B RADLEY R OSACEOUS

C OLLECTION

WALTER STREETBURYING GROUND

TH

E M

E A D O W

CE

NT

R A L W O O D S

Mass. StateLaboratory

B USSEY H ILL

H E MLO CK H ILL

P ETERS H ILL

W ELD H ILL

PETERS HILLGATE

BUSSEY STREETGATE

MENDUM STREETGATE

SOUTH STREETGATE

CENTRE STREETGATE

WASHINGTONSTREETGATE

WALTER STREETGATE

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This Parcel is the site ofthe Future Research Building

LEGEND

Public Restrooms

Visitor Information & Shop

Drinking Fountain

Oak P

ath

Oaks

Valley R

oad

Walnuts

Map Display (map)

Entrance Gate

Access Road (paved)

Main Road (paved)

City Street (traffic)

Walking Path (unpaved)

1/8 Mile Marker

Plant Collection

DawnRedwoods

Magnolias

Tulip Trees

Lindens

Cork Trees

Willows

Horsechestnuts Maples

Cherries

Lilacs

Elms

Ashes

Birches

Hickories Walnuts

Oaks

Stewartias

Beeches

RhododendronsMountain Laurels

JunipersYewsPines

Spruces

Firs

Larches

Pears

Crabapples

Honey Locusts

Hawthorns

Oaks

Azaleas Dove Tree

Centr

e St

reet

FaulknerHospital

Forest HillsMBTA StationOrange Line

HebrewRehabilitation

Center

Conifer Path

Oak Path

Beech Path

Chinese Path

Bee

ch P

ath

Bussey Street

Sout

h St

reet

Sout

h St

reet

Arborw

ay/Route 203

Centr

e St

reet

Allandale Street

Forest Hills Road

Lind

en P

ath

Wal

ter

Stre

et

Weld Street

FaxonPond

RehderPond

DawsonPond

Was

hing

ton

Stre

et

Scenic Overlook

Willow

Path

Route 203 / Overpass

Dana Greenhouse(No Public Access)

Scenic Overlook

.25 km. .50 km.

mi. mi. mi. mi.

Accession Number

Propagation Material(Root Cutting 'RC' or Seed 'SD')

Plant Family

Location

Scientific Name

Accession Date

Source/collection Data

Common Name

To find the letterbox, follow these directions:1. Walk down Meadow Road to on the map above. This tree has a plant label with

the accession number 109-2000*A.2. With Dawson Pond on your right, walk 70 steps to a large Sargent cherry tree with the

accession number 931-51*B.3. Follow the grass path passing 2 large planting beds outlined with stones on your left

until you come to an intersection. The tree straight ahead is a weeping cherry tree with the accession number 319-90*H.

4. Continue along the grass path to your right which follows along the bed to which this tree belongs. Take 55 steps until you reach a lone old cherry tree with large stumps at the base, accession number 706-31*B. You have reached your destination! Search the stump cavities for the letterbox and follow the directions inside.

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