Prunus 'First Lady'
Common name:
First Lady Flowering Cherry
Pronunciation:
PROO-nus
Family:
Rosaceae
Genus:
Type:
Broadleaf
Native to (or naturalized in) Oregon:
No
- Deciduous tree, small, to 20-30 ft (6-9 m) tall and about 15 ft (4.5m) wide, upright habit, nearly columnar. Leaves alternate, simple, dark green, glossy. Flowers appear early, long before the leaves, abundant, single, semi-pendulous, petals dark rose pink, calyx dark red. Fruit ovoid, about 1.3 cm long, dark red at maturity. Readily eaten by birds.
- Sun, grows on well-drained soils of various types. Requires little or no pruning to maintain its upright shape.
- Hardy to USDA Zone 6 Developed by Donald Egolf of the USDA by hybridizing Prunus 'Okame' with P. campanulate in 1982. One seedling proved outstanding and was selected for further evaluation in 1988. 'First Lady was named and released in 2003, an introduction of the U.S. National Arboretum.
Click image to enlarge
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plant habit and main branch, flowering
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flowers
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flowers, end of bloom
