What variety are these Prunus? Prunus incisa Little Twist® ('CarltonLT')

Discussion in 'Ornamental Cherries' started by dt-van, May 11, 2020.

  1. dt-van

    dt-van Active Member 10 Years

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    This pair of trees were photographed outside a private yard in Lynn Valley on Easter Monday. They were clearly the same variety, but grafted on different rootstocks. By the rootstock I'm presuming they are cherries, but the flowers were quite small, perhaps the size of a quarter and the calyx has an unusual bell shape which seemed to keep the flowers from opening as flat as most cherries. The flowers had pale pink petals which shaded to red in the centres and were quite distinctive. I can't remember if they had a slight fragrance or not.

    The small flowers created a delicate lacy which combined with the open vase shape was very attractive. In my opinion they would probably look even nicer on their own rootstock.
     

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  2. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    I usually refuse to ID cherries that are past their prime, as these are. Many of the white cherry cultivar flowers senesce to pink, starting from the centre, so this is not really distinctive, I'm sorry to have to say. The leaves might be distinctive, though. Can you get a good photo of those?
    The habit looks like 'Hally Jolivette', which @Ron B mentioned years ago was being sold in Washington grafted onto Birch Bark Cherry, but the calyx shape is wrong based on photos I'm seeing, and these appear to be single flowers, and that cultivar has double flowers.
    Maybe Prunus incisa 'Kojo-no-mai'? That could have been out, finishing around that time, particularly in North Van. The flowers might be too large? From what I can see of the leaves, they could be right.
    Prunus incisa 'Kojo-no-mai' Tree
    I see there exist a couple of other Prunus incisa varieties. I don't know any of them and I don't know what has arrived here (am not sure about that for 'Kojo -no-mai' either).
     
  3. dt-van

    dt-van Active Member 10 Years

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    From looking at other photos online 'Kojo -no-mai' certainly looks very similar.
    Prunus incisa 'Kojo-no-mai' Tree
    The leaves at the middle right of the close up photo appear to be very coarsely toothed
     
  4. dt-van

    dt-van Active Member 10 Years

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    Sorry, that reply was posted before I was finished composing it.
    The flowers were definitely all single and quite small, certainly no larger than a quarter and maybe smaller; I didn't actually measure them. I will check back next time I'm in the area and try to get a good photo of the mature leaves and also check to see if it is making any fruit. Looking at my overall photos I do see evidence of what that website called "unusual zig-zagging branches" but in my photos there isn't much sign of the new leaves "having a bronzed tinge". Online photos of 'Kojo-no-mai' growing as an un-grafted shrub confirm my positive expectations -it would be lovely in a small garden or courtyard. I wonder where they go them, and why such a mismatched pair?
     
  5. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    Everything seems to be making fruit this year, I'm saying based on seeing fruits on 'Shirotae' and at least one other ornamental, which is only to say that that won't help to identify it.
    Another cultivar, 'The Bride', doesn't have any mention of bronze new leaves in the description, but as I said before, I have no idea if it's really around here.
    Prunus incisa 'The Bride' Tree
     
  6. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    I am posting this set of photos here, as the leaves look similar to me as the ones posted above, and they have the same birchbark cherry rootstock. I have named them 'Kojo-no-mai', but I hope to go visit them next year when they have flowers. The photos are all from Ben Skinner.
    He asks about what the shiny stuff is at the bottom of the limbs (last photo) - is that sap? Is there any sign of infection yet? These are at 15 E. 3rd at Ontario St.
    Koto-no-mai_15E3rd_BenSkinner_20200823_9159206186795518768_o.jpg Koto-no-mai_15E3rd_BenSkinner_20200823_8800503767693686246_n.jpg Koto-no-mai_15E3rd_BenSkinner_20200823_8110599691419364310_n.jpg
    Koto-no-mai_15E3rd_BenSkinner_20200823_5488413221682205990_o.jpg Koto-no-mai_15E3rd_BenSkinner_20200823_4539312381165445399_o.jpg Koto-no-mai_15E3rd_BenSkinner_20200823_2604225731152664806_n.jpg
     
  7. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    It's gummosis which can have multiple different causes. Cultivar name in use for contorted Fuji cherry on North American market is 'CarltonLT', a combination obviously standing for Carlton Little Twist in reference to name of introducing company as well as registered trademark being used.

    Prunus incisa Little Twist® ('CarltonLT') from NVK Nurseries
     
    Last edited: Aug 23, 2020
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  8. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    Here are photos from Ben Skinner of the trees two postings up.
    LittleTwist_15E3rd_BenSkinner_20210331_4544632715888703643_n.jpg LittleTwist_15E3rd_BenSkinner_20210331_2834971085309355485_n.jpg LittleTwist_15E3rd_BenSkinner_20210331_8091116580328029325_n.jpg

    Are the first trees posted in this thread less twisty?
     
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  9. Nadia White Rock

    Nadia White Rock Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    The first image without flowers looks very the same as I saw.
     
  10. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    I think you're talking about your posting at White Rock / South Surrey.
     

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