Tibetan Cherry Blossom, Large Trees

Prunus serrula tibetica: Bareroot Tibetan Cherry Trees in Standard Sizes

The Tibetan Cherry is a small deciduous tree with wonderfully unusual mahogany red bark that deserves to be the centre of attention. It is also called Birch Bark Cherry because of the way that its old bark strips away to reveal shiny new layers, similar to the paper bark birch.
It has narrow, oval leaves similar to a willow that do not create thick shade, so you can plant quite a range of bulbs and plants around it. The small white flowers are not showy, and in hot summers they mature into decorative, bitter red fruit for the birds. The leaves turn a clear yellow in autumn and fall away to reveal the tree's bark in all its glory: in the right light, it seems to be sculpted from polished copper or bronze, but with a richer cinnamon tone than either.

Prunus serrula is not a very big tree and is an excellent choice for a small garden where space and light are limited. It will grow to about 8 metres.

Browse our variety of cherry blossom trees or our range of ornamental trees.

Delivery season: Tibetan Cherry trees are delivered bareroot during late autumn and winter, approximately November-March inclusive.
Choosing a size: Small trees are cheaper, easier to handle and more forgiving of less than ideal aftercare, so they are best for a big planting project. If instant impact is your priority, or if you are only buying a few plants for use in a place where it is convenient to water them well in their first year, then you may as well use bigger ones. All our bareroot trees are measured by their height in centimetres above the ground (the roots aren't measured).

Features:

• Height: 6-8m
• Soil: Any decently well drained
• Use: Specimen
• Colour: Small white flowers in April. Bright mahogany bark.
• Bareroot delivery only: November-March
  

Growing Tibetan Cherry Trees

Suitable for any fertile, well drained soil, we recommend planting in full sun. The faster it grows, the more often it will shed its old skin and allow you to feast your eyes on its fresh red bark.

Top tip for getting the best from the bark: never give in to the temptation to peel away the bark yourself. This will slow down the tree's shedding cycle, and there is a risk of infection. Instead, when the tree starts looking a bit dull, give it a scrub with a large non-metallic brush and warm soapy water, or you could use a pressure hose on a gentle setting. This will brighten up the older bark without affecting the tree.