There have been quite a few prunus removed over the past few years , some simply because of age, others because of disease. Grafted forms sometimes become unsafe with time. The good news is that a wonderful range of plant material is being used in new plantings. Downtown, on Pender Street, there has been a glorious show of magnolias. Cercidiphyllum (katsura) are flushing into leaf on 49th Avenue and we will soon be seeing styrax blooming on 37th Avenue near Vandusen. The city is really beautiful when the sun shines!
Looking at Great Plant Picks, a Pacific Northwest website which has 300 plants which have been selected and evaluated for their performance in our climate, Prunus x yedoensis 'Akebono' is the only prunus they list. It is the most commonly planted , as it is resistant to brown rot disease.
