Winter cherry blossoms are light and delicate, a brilliant sight in winter
Winter cherry blossom (Cerasus cerasoides), also known as Gaopen cherry and winter begonia, belongs to the Rosaceae family. It blooms in autumn and winter, with pink flowers; when in full bloom, the whole tree is covered in a profusion of blossoms, dazzling and eye-catching; after flowering, purple-red young leaves continue to grow, which can enrich the color changes of winter garden plants, adding a gorgeous natural landscape to the flower-scarce winter, and is of great significance to the winter landscape of cities in subtropical regions.
Winter cherry blossom is a deciduous tree, reaching 3-10 m tall. Leaves alternate, ovate-lanceolate or oblong, with fine sharp double serrations along the margins. Umbellate racemes, 1-9 flowers clustered, pink, flowers relatively small; pedicels 1-2 cm long; bracts round, with glandular teeth along the edges; calyx tube bell-shaped, red; sepals triangular, apex acute, red; petals 5, round-ovate, apex slightly concave, pale pink. Drupe round-ovate, apex rounded and blunt, vermilion to purple-black. Flowering period November to January of the following year; new leaves emerge right after the flowers open; fruiting period March to April. Widely distributed in Yunnan, Tibet and other places in China, and also found in Nepal and Myanmar, with Yunnan as the main distribution area.
During its phylogenetic development, winter cherry blossom can tolerate shaded environments, yet requires ample light for growth and development. In the Kunming area of Yunnan, the flowering percentage of winter cherry blossom changes very noticeably with rises and falls in temperature; the higher the temperature, the higher the flowering percentage. Its suitable average temperature for flowering is around 15°C, which shows that winter cherry blossom prefers warmth and fears severe cold. Kunming has long been known as the "Spring City"; under normal circumstances, winter cherry blossom can overwinter in the open ground without much management. Winter cherry blossom is not very selective about soil quality, with well-drained fertile soil being best. In places with better conditions such as the wild, open areas and gullies, winter cherry blossom grows vigorously.
Winter cherry blossom is the only ornamental cherry treasure among China's wild cherry resources that blooms in winter. When it flowers, it is charming and graceful, light and delicate; at the height of bloom, the whole tree is full of brilliant blossoms, intoxicating, making it an excellent tree species for urban greening and garden landscaping. In gardens, tall and beautifully shaped winter cherry blossoms are often planted as specimens or in clusters of several trees; in parks and scenic spots, they can be planted in large groups, making the scenery even more pleasant; they can also be planted in rows as street trees; when they bloom in winter, it is like a flower corridor; if planted in front of evergreen trees, red and green set each other off beautifully; and when planted by the water's edge, beside streams and lakesides, it can create a poetic realm of "falling flowers on flowing water."