Cherry Blossom

Starting Cherry Blossoms from seed, often called Flowering Cherries or Sakura, is a deeply rewarding task that requires you to act as a guardian of the seed for several months. When you receive these seeds, they are protected by a very hard, stony pit. This pit is designed to survive the digestive tract of a bird, which means the germination rate is naturally low, usually between 20 and 30 percent. To succeed, you must help the seed break through this armor. The first step is to perform "scarification." Take a file or a piece of heavy sandpaper and gently rub one side of the hard pit until you just barely see a change in color, indicating you are close to the internal seed. This allows water to enter. Next, soak the pits in room temperature water for 24 hours. Any seeds that float should be discarded, as they are likely empty shells.

The next phase is a long cold stratification. The seeds need to believe they have endured a long, cold winter. Place them in a container of damp sand and store them in your refrigerator for three to four months. Check them every few weeks to ensure the sand hasn't dried out. Once you see small cracks in the pits or tiny white roots emerging, it is time to plant. Use a deep pot with a mix of potting soil and sand. Plant the seeds about one inch deep. Cherry seedlings are very delicate and are a favorite snack for birds and squirrels, so keep them in a protected area or under a wire mesh cage until they are at least six inches tall. Maintenance involves keeping the soil moist and providing filtered sunlight. Direct, hot sun can scorch the tender new leaves of a baby Sakura.

While most people think of Cherry Blossoms as massive park trees, many varieties are perfectly suited for container life, especially if trained as bonsai. Growing a cherry tree in a pot allows you to move the tree into a prominent position when it blooms in the spring and move it to a less central spot for the rest of the year. In a landscape, Flowering Cherries are the queens of the spring. They are best used as focal points where people can walk under them or see them from a window. To create a classic spring look, underplant your cherry tree with blue Grape Hyacinths or white Snowdrops. The contrast between the pink petals falling on a carpet of blue flowers is one of the most iconic sights in temperate gardening.