Weeping Cherry Tree, Weeping Higan Cherry 'Autumnalis Rosea'

Our Autumn Higans started blooming in November this year, and have continued into mid-December. They might bloom again modestly during wi...Read Morenter if we get unseasonably warm weather, and will go into full bloom in early/mid-April, a couple of weeks after the Okames and just before the Yoshinos. The flowers are semi-double. 'Rosea' cultivar blossoms are white with mauve or coral tones. Higan fall leaf color is good, with mostly yellow and some reddish-bronze tones. They take a couple of years to become well established and to start growing quickly, but they don't require much extra water or care. Higans are long-lived compared to most cherry trees. I've seen a few weeping Higans here in the Virginia Piedmont reach the height of power lines before meeting an unfortunate demise at the hands of tree trimmers. Smaller trees face another hazard. Intense deer pressure here means any kind of cherry trees under 5 feet tall will become a midnight snack unless protected. Japanese beetles also seek them out, and can nearly defoliate smaller trees. As a beekeeper, I wanted autumn-blooming cherries as end-of-season forage, although I'll admit the bees are better able to enjoy the spring bloom because the autumn bloom happens so late they're not doing much foraging by that time. And while no one grows Higans for the fruit, if you're lucky enough to notice one or two before the birds do, you can try the small, flavor-packed cherries. They will stain your fingers, but are worth it for the sake of curiosity.