Help needed with newly planted Kanzan Cherry Tree

Discussion in 'Ornamental Cherries' started by azhuetter, Apr 6, 2009.

  1. azhuetter

    azhuetter Member

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    I planted a young, 6 foot Kwanzan Cherry Tree bought at a local nursery that grows their entire supply (http://www.taylorsnursery.com/tnplantpage.asp?myplant=PRUSERKWA)

    Oddly enough it never bloomed, it is now sprouting nice leaves and looks healthy, but it never produced a single blossom. Did I do something wrong when planting it or is it typical of young trees not to produce flowers their first years?

    Any advice would be welcome!
    Thanks so much.
     
  2. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Re: Help needed with newly planted Kwanzan Cherry Tree

    Should be blooming at that size. Do the leaves come out purplish in the spring?
     
  3. azhuetter

    azhuetter Member

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    Re: Help needed with newly planted Kwanzan Cherry Tree

    I forgot to mention that I just planted this tree about 6 weeks ago. Here are pictures I took today. Like I said in the previous post, it went from no growth to these leaves in the past 2 weeks.
     

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  4. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    Re: Help needed with newly planted Kwanzan Cherry Tree

    Last year I posted a photo of a newly planted cherry that I thought I didn't recognize because it was so much later than others of its cultivar, so maybe juveniles just figure it out late?

    Kanzans normally bloom around here mid-April, but this year I'm guessing beginning of May.
     
  5. azhuetter

    azhuetter Member

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    Re: Help needed with newly planted Kwanzan Cherry Tree

    Aren't they supposed to bloom before they grow their leaves?
     
  6. Esti

    Esti Member

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    Re: Help needed with newly planted Kwanzan Cherry Tree

    I have known kwanzan cherry trees go a year not blooming and then a bumper crop of blooms the next year.

    (Prunus serrulata 'Kwanzan') [Kanza, Sekiyama, Hisakura]

    The Dirr manual of woody plants calls it the hardiest of the double pink bloom types and free flowering from Boston to Atlanta. They can suffer from cankers, virus and borers causing them to be short lived. (a bit of info but not valid in your case I think)

    The Hillier Manual of Trees and shrubs mentions a dormant period where the buds are often subject to bird damage, and when necessary to use a repellant to ensure blossom. It blooms mid to late April. Pruning is rare but if nessessary, to be done in late summer so the cuts heal before winter. They succeed in well drained soils.

    I would blame the lack of flowers on the size and age of the tree and wait. I'd give it 3 years before I'd be overly worried.

    A personal note... the word prunus and black knot run together with me. Must be the area I am in where the cancer grows on the prunus family of plant.
     
  7. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    Re: Help needed with newly planted Kwanzan Cherry Tree

    See the thread on Kanzan vs Pink Perfection under the Cultivars ID forum. Most or all of the photos show leaves with the blossoms. Kanzan is a late mid-season bloomer here in Vancouver, and from mid-season on, the leaves come out with the blossoms. I don't know if it's any different in North Carolina where you are.
     
    Last edited: Apr 8, 2009
  8. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Re: Help needed with newly planted Kwanzan Cherry Tree

    'Kanzan' (note correct spelling!) flowers after the leaves appear. The one in the photos looks a bit too young yet to be flowering much, and it will also need to settle in after planting to re-establish a good new root system before expending much energy on flowers.
     

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