Identification: Autumnalis vs Accolade

Discussion in 'Ornamental Cherries' started by wcutler, Mar 11, 2008.

  1. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    VCBF Cherry Scout Mariko Izaki sent me the following in an email:

    I think it's very difficult to tell the difference between Autumnalis Rosea and Accolade on Photos. ... They look similar if the flowers are high up on the tree. But you can compare them very easily after they bloom more than 10%. Because some flowers start falling off. The flowers of both Autumnalis and Accolade fall in shapes of flowers not by petals like most other cherries. Then you can pick them up and see details.
    First of all, the size of the flower is different. And Autumnalis's petals are hairy and Accolade's are rather round. [I think by "hairy" Mariko means "spiky"]

    You can see the difference in the photo below (left: Autumnalis; right: Accolade).
     

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  2. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    If you really want to see the difference between these two trees and you're in Vancouver, try the 1000 block of Pacific, just west of Burrard, right now (March 19, 2008). There's no confusing these now, and it's not just that the Autumnalis Rosea are finished. They're not looking much worse than they did all winter, but they're starting to get their leaves now in the West End. As the mini-park habitue told me where I spent so much time last winter photographing an Autumnalis Rosea, they "never really do it". You think they'll eventually blossom up, but they don't, at least not around here. The Accolades by comparison make a much more impressively showy display, even when they're not great trees, such as in the third photo in the set below.

    Here's one of the many Autumnalis Rosea on Pacific, and two Accolades at the highrise on Pacific at the corner of Burrard, with a bit of an Autumnalis Rosea to the left in the background. The third photo is of two Accolades on Burnaby St.
    20080319_Pacific_AutumnalisRosea_Cutler_0591.jpg 20080119_Pacific_Accolade_Cutler_0597.jpg 20080319_BurnabySt_Accolade_Cutler_0560.jpg

    As the Accolade blossoms age, they get a little more like Autumnalis Rosea. On the left is an Autumnalis Rosea blossom from two trees in a lane off Thurlow and on the right is an Accolade from the trees on Beach Ave across from the Aquatic Centre. I picked a blossom that would make the point - the thing is, there were also lots of blossoms that are much more clearly Accolade, as in the third photo, from which the second photo was extracted.
    20080319_Thurlow_AutumnalisRosea_Cutler_0569.jpg 20080319_Beach_AccoladeBlossom_Cutler_0605.jpg 20080319_Beach_Accolade_Cutler_0605.jpg
     
  3. Laura Blumenthal

    Laura Blumenthal Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Thanks for this, Wendy - it's really helpful!
     

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