Mini StandardPrunus Kojo No Mai
The Prunus Kojo No Mai is a very small ornamental cherry tree which reaches a height of 2 metres in 20 years.
The one I feature today is the Mini Standard Prunus Kojo No Mai.
In our Garden
I planted the Mini Standard Prunus Kojo No Mai last year in late Spring and placed it in the courtyard area of the garden in a pot. Below is a picture of how it looked in the Summer of last year, planted along with Erigeron at the edge of the pot. Another favourite cherry tree in our garden.
Tidying up the area at the beginning of March this year, I was surprised to see the branches smothered in buds ready to open.
The white flowers started to open by the second week of March and were in full bloom by the 18th of the month.
At the moment the flowers on our tree are pure white, apparently they develop a pink centre as they age. If this is the case, I will add a picture.
Before the flowers actually opened, I noticed wayward branches and was tempted to prune them back. I am glad I held back, as the tree with zig – zagging branches is its natural habit.
A pause for thought
I have been posting these plant profiles for a number of years now.
I am not a professional gardener, I would describe myself as an extremely keen amateur who enjoys passing on information of how plants performed in our garden.
There are of course many plants that didn’t work out for us, but I don’t have much of an interest talking about those. Having said that if I did have a bit of an issue with a plant I featured, I will have brought it up.
Plant Details
Flowers and leaves
The white flowers open on bare stems in late Winter, not noticeably fragrant. The fresh leaves are pale green, darkening with age. In Autumn, the leaves turn brilliant shades of red and orange.
Hardiness
Fully hardy in the UK
Height
This form of mini standard is about one metre tall. If you have gone for the regular tree, it will grow to an eventual height of 2.5 m.
Position
Best of all in a sunny spot
Soil
Moist, well drained soil
Pruning
It’s a small tree, but if you need to prune, do it in late August while leaves are still on.
Common name
Fuiji Cherry
Hello Alister I am one of your many followers who enjoy your posts. I have followed you since you lived in aberdeen. I enjoyed following when you lived in Cheshire. I haven’t commented before I wanted you to no I have learnt a lot from your posts. All of your gardens have been beautiful but my favourite was the one in aberdeen.
Hello Fiona, Thank-you for the very kind words, you have made my day. Also from Fife, I see. Here in Coaltown I would say over the course of a year the temp here is perhaps a little higher than it is in Aberdeen but the hellish wind spoils it. However, compared to what some people have to put up with, I shouldn’t complain.
Thank you Francie, I must remember to add a picture in Autumn.
Thank you so much for showing me this lovely Fuiji Cherry. I’d like to see it in autumn, if you think of it, please. Your courtyard is beautiful.
Hello Alistair, as one of the many who follow your posts with keen interest, yet probably never make a comment, as I am not as accomplished a gardener as yourself, more a mere beginner, I just wanted to eventually say how much I do like to receive your updates. This latest one, with your fabulous Prunus Kojo-no-mai, as usual fills me with joy and gives me much needed enthusiasm to get out into my own garden and get busy (also in Fife in the East Neuk) even although the weather is not as good as I would like it to be. Your posts are inspiring. All the more so for seeming actually achieveable, although practise tells me it is not really so easy without skill and constant effort and a wee bit of luck with the weather! LOL. More power to your elbow Alistair. You bring a lot of people such pleasure with your posts and photographs. I send you my very best wishes.