Flowering cherry tree: Prunus serrulata 'Mt. Fuji'

Written by M. D. Vaden of Oregon: Certified Landscape Technician & Arborist

The tree above is a Mt. Fuji flowering cherry tree - Wilsonville, Oregon. 90% of the tree could be pruned by walking on the limbs. This photograph was taken in March, 2003, and we measured the canopy width at slightly over 50' wide. You can see Michael Vaden in the middle of the tree for size comparison. This photo shows the results of proper pruning as well as the mature size of Mt. Fuji flowering cherry. Some references have written that Prunus serrulata or Mt. Fuji flowering cherry, grows 15' to 25' wide. I posted this page so people can realize the potential size of this Japanese flowering cherry (Mt. Fuji - Prunus serrulata 'Shirotae'). Size is not a problem if a tree is pruned properly. Actually, the width and height of the tree in the photo were slightly constrained with each year's pruning. It could easily have been 5' taller, and about 8' wider.

Mt. Fuji cherry, can grow two to three times better, if soil is a bit on the dryer side. It still needs some moisture - but not in a range between moist and wet. In my college days, an instructor showed us flowering cherry trees in wet soil, and others at the non-irrigated parking area mounds. The ones in the wetter soil had 3" diameter trunks. The ones in the parking lot had 8" trunks and looked better. All the trees were planted at the same time. The Mt. Fuji shown above, was in a well drained lawn area, receiving minimal growing season irrigation. The exposure to good air circulation and sunlight is helpful too.