Characteristics of Himalayan Cherry Trees (Prunus cerasoides) in the Wild

Himalayan Cherry or Sour Cherry (Prunus cerasoides) is a species of deciduous tree from the Rosaceae family and the genus Prunus found in East Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.

Its distribution extends in the Himalayas from Himachal Pradesh in north-central India to Southwest China, Burma, and Thailand. It grows in temperate forests at an altitude of 1,200-2,400 m above sea level.

The Himalayan Cherry tree is very beautiful and is cultivated as an ornamental tree for house yards, office yards, school yards, or roadsides.

 

Characteristics of Himalayan Cherry Leaf

The leaves are typical Prunus, fall in season, serrated at the edges, pointed, broad, and green in color.

 

Characteristics of Himalayan Cherry Flower

Himalayan Cherry blossoms appear in autumn and winter. The flower is hermaphrodite and is white or pink.

 

Characteristics of Himalayan Cherry Fruit

The fruit is ovoid, yellow when young, and turns red when ripe.

 

Characteristics of Himalayan Cherry Tree

The Himalayan Cherry tree can grow as a medium-sized tree up to 25-30 meters tall. The bark is shiny and ringed.

Like most members of the genus Prunus, the roots of this tree are shallow and tend to produce shoots if the roots are damaged. Himalayan Cherry trees are known to be susceptible to honey fungus.

Himalayan Cherry is best planted in loam soils that are well-drained, slightly damp, in an open location, sunny, and the sun.

Seeds require 2-3 months of cold stratification and are best planted as early in winter as possible. The seeds grow quite slowly and sometimes take about 18 months to germinate (depending on the conditions).

It is known that Himalayan Cherry trees can also thrive in Indonesia’s tropical climate. This tree is planted in Bogor Sakura Park which you can see when the flowers bloom from January to February and August to September.