Weeping Cherry

Weeping Cherry (Prunus subhirtella 'Pendula Rubra') is a small deciduous feature tree with branches that arch over and hang almost to the ground, smothered in deep pink blossom before the leaves appear. It settles at around 3.5m tall and 3m wide, which is a genuine courtyard scale, and the roots are well behaved enough to plant near paving. For a cool or temperate garden that needs one tree to carry the whole show, this is it.

Why you'll love it

• Blossom before anything else moves. Deep pink flowers open on bare branches in late winter to early spring, weeks ahead of the rest of the garden.
• A shape that does the design work. The cascading habit gives a courtyard instant structure, with no clipping or training required.
• Two seasons of colour. Blossom in spring, then the foliage turns before it drops in autumn.
• Roots that stay out of trouble. Non invasive, so it can sit near a path, a driveway or a small courtyard slab.

Where it works best

Feature planting. Give it about 3m of clear space so the curtain of branches can hang without touching a fence, and site it where you see it from indoors in early spring.

Small gardens and courtyards. At 3.5m it never overwhelms a small block, and a mature specimen underplanted with groundcover fills a front garden on its own.

Driveways and entries. Space plants 4m to 5m apart along a drive, or use a matched pair to frame a gate or a doorway.

Growing Weeping Cherry in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun for the heaviest flowering. It is frost hardy and belongs in cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens. Be honest about the limits: flowering depends on winter chill, so Victoria, Tasmania, the tablelands, Adelaide and the cooler parts of Perth and Sydney get the best display, while subtropical and tropical gardens will not deliver a proper blossom season.

Soil. Free draining, moisture retentive and slightly acidic to neutral. Cherries hate waterlogging, so on clay build a raised mound and work compost through the backfill. Mulch 75mm deep, clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Water deeply once or twice a week through the first two summers, then as needed in dry spells. Feed a complete slow release fertiliser in early spring as the buds swell.

Pruning. Very little, and only after flowering. Remove any shoot growing from below the graft union immediately, because rootstock growth is vigorous and will take over the head of the tree if it is left alone.

What to expect when it arrives

We supply this cherry in 45L, which is an advanced grafted standard: a straight clear trunk with the weeping head already formed on top. That matters, because the final height is set by where the tree was grafted plus a little upward growth, so what you receive is close to what you keep.

Ordered in winter it arrives leafless and looks like a bundle of bare canes. That is dormancy, and it is the best time to plant. Trees are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse more flowering trees.
• Compare the full deciduous tree range.
• See other plants for small gardens.
• Read about creating a Japanese inspired garden.

Common questions

Will it flower in a warm climate?

Only where winter is genuinely cool. Without a period of cold the buds set poorly and the display is thin, so subtropical and tropical gardens are better served by another feature tree.

Will it get taller than 3.5m?

Barely. As a grafted standard its height is largely fixed by the graft, and the head grows outward and downward rather than up.

Can I plant it near paving or pipes?

Yes, the root system is non invasive, which is unusual and part of why it suits courtyards. Allow about 1.5m of clearance from hard surfaces as good practice.