- Botanical name: Prunus pendula 'Pendula Rubra'
- Common name: Weeping flowering cherry
- Family: Rosaceae
- Plant Type: Tree
Pink
White
Green
- Key features:
- Attractive to wildlife
- Flowers
Prunus pendula ‘Pendula Rubra’ is a Japanese flowering cherry tree with an attractive weeping habit. It forms a compact-growing tree with an irregular head of pendulous branches. Masses of single rose-pink flowers, up to 2cm across, are borne in clusters of up to five blooms, mainly during late winter and early spring. These are darker pink in bud, providing some colour and interest during winter as the flower buds appear in autumn and may open intermittently during the winter months.
The foliage is deciduous, with leaves are up to 8cm long that are ovate in shape with serrated edges. In spring the newly opened leaves are an attractive bronze-green, maturing to dark green. In autumn leaves develop fiery tints of orange and red before falling.
The shape of the tree is wider than high, producing irregularly spaced main branches from which the stems hang down. Ultimate size is attained in around 12-15 years.
Prunus pendula ‘Pendula Rubra’ was formerly known as Prunus x subhirtella ‘Pendula Rubra’ and is occasionally still sold under that name. The name is derived from the Latin pendeo, meaning ‘to hang’, and rubra which means red. Prunus pendula ‘Pendula Rosea’ is very similar, but with paler pink flowers.
Prunus pendula ‘Pendula Rubra’ has been awarded the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) Award of Garden Merit.
Advice on buying Prunus ‘Pendula Rubra’
- Flowering cherry trees are widely available as container grown trees from nurseries and garden centres and online
- While Prunus pendula ‘Pendula Rubra’ is one of the less common weeping flowering cherry varieties, it should be fairly readily available
- The usual size available to buy is a young tree at a height of 1.4-1.8m high, grown in a 10-15l pot
- Specialist tree nurseries may offer ready grown trees in larger sizes, often as bare rooted or field grown trees which are only available during the dormant season (November to March)
Where to buy Prunus ‘Pendula Rubra’
- Buy Prunus pendula ‘Pendula Rubra’ from Thompson & Morgan
- Buy Prunus pendula ‘Pendula Rubra’ from Primrose
How to grow Prunus 'Pendula Rubra'
-
Plant size
30m height
40m spread
-
Aspect
South facing, west facing
-
Position in border
Middle, back
- Sun exposure: Full shade
- Hardiness: Hardy
- Soil type: Acidic / chalky / alkaline / clay / heavy / moist / well drained / light / sandy
Plant calendar
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flowers | ||||||||||||
| Flowers |
J
Plant does not flower in January |
F
Plant does not flower in February |
M
Plant does flower in March |
A
Plant does flower in April |
M
Plant does not flower in May |
J
Plant does not flower in June |
J
Plant does not flower in July |
A
Plant does not flower in August |
S
Plant does not flower in September |
O
Plant does not flower in October |
N
Plant does not flower in November |
D
Plant does not flower in December |
Prunus 'Pendula Rubra' and wildlife
Prunus 'Pendula Rubra' is known for attracting bees and birds. It has nectar/pollen rich flowers and has seeds for birds.
Attractive to Bees
Does not attract Beneficial insects
Attractive to Birds
Does not attract Butterflies/Moths
Does not attract Other pollinators
Is Prunus 'Pendula Rubra' poisonous?
Prunus 'Pendula Rubra' has no toxic effects reported.
No reported toxicity to Birds
No reported toxicity to Cats
No reported toxicity to Dogs
No reported toxicity to Horses
No reported toxicity to Livestock
No reported toxicity to People
