Kwanzan Flowering Cherry Common Name: Japanese flowering cherry Zone: 5 to 9 Plant Type: Tree Family: Rosaceae Missouri Native: No Native Range: None Height: 25 to 30 feet Spread: 25 to 30 feet Bloom Time: April Bloom Data Bloom Color: Deep pink (double) Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Medium moisture Maintenance: Medium General Culture: Best grown in moist, fertile, well-drained, sandy or clay loams in full sun to part shade. Best flowering in full sun. Tolerates summer heat and humidity. Tolerates some dry soils once established. Sometimes top grafted at the 4-6’ level to an understock. Noteworthy Characteristics: ‘Kanzan’ (synonymous with ‘Kwanzan’ and ‘Sekiyama’) is a double flowered Japanese flowering cherry that is noted for its profuse and showy spring bloom. It is considered to be one of the most ornamental of the flowering cherries. It typically grows 25-30’ tall and to 25-30’ wide with a vase shape, ascending branching and a spreading-rounded crown. Deep pink double flowers (to 2.5” diameter), each with 20-30 petals, bloom in pendant clusters of 2-5 in April. Flowers bloom just before and as the leaves emerge. Ovate, serrate, dark green leaves (to 5” long). New leaves may be tinged with bronze-red. Fall color is yellow to orange-bronze. Plants are sterile and do not produce fruit. In 1912, the people of Japan donated 12 different varieties of flowering cherry trees to the U. S. for planting in the Washington, D.C. area. From that original donation, the Yoshino cherry was planted in the Tidal Basin area and the Kwanzan (now Kanzan) cherry was planted in the East Potomac Park area.