How to Grow a Cherry Blossom Tree Right in Your Backyard

Whether you're a cherry blossom festival enthusiast or are simply looking to attract more pollinators to your backyard, you can learn how to grow a cherry blossom tree. There are hundreds of varieties of these popular flowering beauties, and lucky for us, they're pretty ideal for home gardeners. Let's explore the best tips for planting cherry blossom trees, how to keep them happy, and what to expect from these showstopping trees throughout the year.

What Are Cherry Blossom Trees?

While you'll find varieties all over the world today, Japan gifted the U.S. its first cherry blossom tree in 1912 as a sign of friendship, according to the National Park Service. 

Today, cherry blossom trees—aka ornamental, flowering, or Sakura trees—can be found across the country, from NYC and Washington, D.C. festivals to your neighbor's front yard.

• Soil: Well-draining soil is key for cherry blossoms. And while they prefer acidic soil, they can also grow in alkaline soil. 

• Sunlight: Choose a spot with either direct or partial sunlight. The tree should receive at least four to six hours of direct sun a day.

• Space: Give your cherry blossom roots and branches at least 10–20 feet to spread out.

• Shelter: If you live in a windy area, plant your tree in a sheltered spot to keep spring gusts from removing the blooms.

Common Types of Japanese Flowering Cherry Trees

With over 400 varieties of cherry blossom trees, knowing which one is which can be a little like reading an encyclopedia. Here are a few of the most common types of Japanese flowering cherry trees to keep on your radar:

• Yoshino cherry trees, also known as Somei-Yoshino

• Kwanzan cherry trees

• Akebono cherry trees

• Weeping Japanese cherry trees, also called the Higan cherry tree

• Takesimensis cherry trees

• Autumn flowering cherry trees

Hardiness Zones for Cherry Blossom Trees

Depending on the species, cherry blossom trees flourish in USDA hardiness zones 5 through 9—essentially regions with warm and humid summers and winters that don't get too extreme. 

As a deciduous tree, the cherry blossom goes dormant in the winter but sprouts lush pink or ivory flowers in the spring, often just for a couple of breathtaking weeks. Their leaves turn green in the summer and transition to stunning orange, yellow, and red foliage in autumn.

Here are some of the most common types of cherry blossom trees you'll find today and where you’ll find them.

Common Cherry Blossom Hardiness Zones and Sizes

Common Cherry Blossom Colors and Features

How to Plant Cherry Blossom Trees

Purchase a cherry blossom sapling with a wrapped root ball or bare roots from your local nursery. Determine when to plant your cherry tree by the timing of your local frost. If you're planting a cherry blossom tree with bare roots—common when you order saplings online—plant your cherry blossom tree in the early fall. This gives the roots time to spread out before going dormant for the winter.

There is a little more flexibility with transferring container-grown trees to the ground. While most trees still do best when transferred in the early fall, you can also plant them in the spring after the last frost.

1. Choose the Right Location

Cherry blossom trees are relatively resilient, but you can help them grow taller and stronger against disease if you choose the right conditions. The best conditions for planting flowering cherry trees include planting in:

• Early spring or the end of fall

• Full sunlight

• Neutral soil pH levels

• Well-drained but moist soil

• Subtropical or temperate climate zones

2. Prepare to Plant

Dig a hole that is at least 2 feet in diameter and the depth of your root ball. When you place the root ball in your hole, the top of the ball should sit right at the surface. Shake loose or trim away any tightly bound roots that wrap around the ball and keep it from expanding. For best results, surround the root ball with fertile, compost-amended soil.

3. Stake for the First Year

Now's a good time to support your young tree with stakes and strings. Place your stakes in the ground at a 45-degree angle and attach them to the trunk with twine. Keep the supports in place during the first year. 

4. Water Thoroughly

Water the tree after planting and schedule consistent waterings during the first year or until the tree is established with a strong canopy and root spread. This is a good time to ensure your soil properly drains, as cherry blossom trees will not flourish in oversaturated soil.

How to Help Japanese Flowering Cherries Bloom

Flowering cherry trees are relatively easy to grow. Still, sometimes problems arise that lead to a lackluster bloom. These tips help your Japanese flowering cherries bloom to their full potential.

• Give your cherry blossoms plenty of direct sunlight.

• Make sure the soil is moist, well-drained, and has a neutral pH level.

• Water your trees weekly with no less than one inch of water. 

• Fertilize your cherry blossoms annually with a cherry blossom tree fertilizer.

• Prune your cherry blossoms once a year at the right time for your region.

• Use sharp, sterile tools when pruning your trees.

• Inspect your trees for signs of illness or pests and take action immediately.

• Call a professional tree trimming service near you to prune your trees in a way that yields the most blooms.

How to Propagate Japanese Flowering Cherry Trees

Propagation might be a bit of a trial and error if you’ve never done it before, but with a little know-how, you’ll be propagating cherry blossom trees like a pro. Here’s how:

1. Choose the Right Cutting

You can propagate Japanese flowering cherry trees by using a softwood cutting in late spring or early summer. This cutting should come from a stem section of your flowering cherry using a growth that occurred in this year’s growth cycle. Choose a stem that is still supple and soft—you should be able to bend it gently. 

2. Cut the Stem

Use sterilized, sharp pruning shears or a knife to cut 6 to 8 inches for every cutting of your flowering cherry tree. As you cut the pieces, make sure you place the cuttings in a plastic bag with a dampened paper towel to keep them moist.

3. Make the Rooting Medium

The rooting medium is what allows your cutting to root or propagate. You’ll need a rooting tray and equal parts of sterile perlite, coarse sand, and sphagnum peat moss.

4. Prepare the Flowering Cherry Stem

Before you put the stem cutting into the rooting medium, you’ll want to prepare it by removing the leaves on the bottom portions of your flowering cherry stems. Then, dip the ends of the cuts into a rooting hormone.

5. Insert the Flowering Cherry Stem

With your cuttings ready to go, gently push them into the rooting medium until they’re 2 to 3 inches deep. Lightly pat the soil so that the stems stay in place. Leave a few inches of space between each cutting.

6. Prepare the Rooting Environment

Now, you’ll want to take measures to set your flowering cherry stems up for success. The most important part of propagating flowering cherry trees is keeping the right humidity inside the rooting environment. Use a spray bottle to gently moisten the rooting medium and cuttings. Then, put a plastic bag over the entire tray and place it in a sunny, warm area. 

7. Maintain the Environment 

Every three or four days, you’ll want to open the plastic bag to let in fresh air and mist the medium. The last thing you want is for your propagated Japanese flowering cherries to dry up and die. Keep your spray bottle nearby to maintain a moist environment as needed. You can test the moisture levels by inserting a dry toothpick into the medium to see if it’s still moist. 

8. Transplant the Cuttings

After two to three months, your flowering cherry stems should be ready for a transplant. Very carefully pull on the cuttings. If you feel resistance, this means the roots have successfully grown. If this is the case, the cuttings are ready to move into 8-inch grower pots with potting soil.

9. Let the Cuttings Grow

Allow your cuttings to continue growing in a controlled environment for up to a year. Then, introduce the flowering cherry trees to the great outdoors slowly by placing them in the shade for at least a week before planting them in full sun.

How to Pot and Re-Pot Cherry Blossom Trees

Not all Japanese flowering cherry trees need to grow out in the yard. If you want to grow your flowering cherry in a container or make a bonsai tree, you can choose this option depending on the type of cultivar you selected. Dwarf flowering cherries or cherry blossom bonsai trees are great options for potting Japanese flowering cherry trees. 

To pot or re-pot them in a larger planter, follow these steps:

1. Choose a well-draining pot that is at least double the size of the current pot. It should be a deep pot.

2. Mix potting soil with organic compost for the best soil conditions.

3. Add the soil mixture to the bottom of the new pot.

4. Gently loosen the soil in the current pot to ready the tree.

5. Slowly coax the tree out of the old pot.

6. Place the tree into the new pot and add soil to hold it in place.

7. Water the pot thoroughly.

8. Continue watering every other day deeply for the first week.

9. Switch to watering two to three times for the second week.

10. Water your flowering cherry once weekly throughout its first season.

How to Care for Cherry Blossom Trees

Learning how to plant a tree can take a little trial and error at first, but most only require consistent attention during their first year. The same goes for the relatively unfussy cherry blossom tree. Here's how to keep an eye on your cherry blossom tree as it grows over the years.

1. Water Weekly

As we mentioned above, be sure to add an inch of water to your tree's soil at least once a week. Once the tree becomes established after about a year, you can let the rain do all the work unless you're currently in a period of drought.

The tree should maintain about an inch of water each week either way. Like most plants, there's no need to water your tree once the ground is frozen for the winter.

2. Fertilize in Early Spring

Give your cherry trees a nice boost by adding a slow-release fertilizer in the early spring right before their big bloom. Speak with your nursery about purchasing specific types of fertilizer for ornamental flowering and fruit-bearing trees. 

3. Prune Right After Their Bloom

Pruning a tree can be a DIY job if you don't have to climb too high on the ladder, but we recommend calling a tree service near you for taller or trickier jobs. Prune cherry blossom trees right after their bloom in the spring. Not only can you trim the tree to your desired shape, but removing dead buds and the ends of branches encourages better blooms in the long run.

Additionally, remove any branches sprouting from the trunk or branches that keep light from reaching the center of the canopy.

4. Get Professional Care

If you're not sure about where and when to plant a cherry blossom in your yard or how to care for ongoing issues, call a local arborist for advice. Hiring an arborist costs as little as $75 for basic trimming services or between $80 and $120 for a consultation on disease and care.

Common Diseases

While cherry blossom trees are relatively low-maintenance, there are still a few common diseases to watch out for, including:

Silver Leaf

This fungal infection enters cherry blossom trees through small perforations in the branches after pruning and infects the leaves and the wood of the tree. You can identify this infection by the silver-colored glisten that first appears on leaves. If not treated, the branches will begin to die off.

Black Knot

As the name suggests, this disease makes itself known by tell-tale black knots on the branches of your cherry blossom. Knots can grow up to 6 inches on branches, and the texture is hard to the touch. If left untreated, the branches will die off, and the infection can end up killing your tree. 

Cherry Leaf Spot

This fungal disease typically appears on the leaves of your cherry blossom in the form of little purple spots. As the spots grow, they’ll change to a more red-brown color. You can see cherry leaf spots on the upper side of older cherry blossom leaves. Eventually, the infestation decreases your tree’s fruit production.

Powdery Mildew

Powdery mildew is a fungal infection that coats your cherry blossom tree in a powdery white layer. If left untreated, your tree’s leaves may crumple up, twist, and become stunted.

Cytospora Canker

Another icky fungal infection is Cytospora canker. This disease can wreak the most havoc on your cherry blossom trees—even the young trees—causing death. Once the fungus finds its way into your cherry blossom tree, you’ll notice a small necrotic spot at the initial site. There’s very little you can do other than remove the infected tree to prevent the spread of canker to other healthy trees.

Brown Rot

Brown rot is a common type of fast-moving rot that can affect flowering cherry trees in just two to three days, according to research conducted by Ohio State University. You can identify this fungal disease by the brown leaves and blossoms that leave quite the eyesore on what would be a beautiful bloom. The leaves will wilt and linger on the branches and may turn into canker, which stunts your tree’s growth and fruitfulness. 

Crown Gall

Cherry blossom trees can also experience crown galls—a bacterial infection known for developing on your tree's crown, roots, or trunk. Gall negatively affects your tree by altering its DNA. The bacteria Agrobacterium tumefaciens transfer T-DNA into the plant’s genome, leading to the disease. This issue creates spongy, white growths, which darken to tan or brown as the disease progresses. If left untreated, the tree may become stunted or even die. 

Cherry X Disease

Also known as cherry buckskin disease, this disease comes from phytoplasma organisms usually spread by leafhoppers. You can identify this disease by the pale, leathery fruit produced by the cherry blossom tree. Cherry X disease is fatal, so you’ll want to remove any trees with this infection to prevent the spread of this contagious disease.

Treatment for Cherry Blossom Tree Diseases

To treat most diseases, you’ll need to get rid of infected plants or plant matter. Rake up infected leaves, remove infected fruits, prune your cherry blossom trees, and discard infected branches far away from your trees to prevent reoccurrence. You might need to use a fungicide or a homemade solution to tackle more aggressive infections. Make sure you use sterile, sharp pruning tools to make clean cuts, and be sure to sterilize your pruning tools afterward.

Common Cherry Blossom Tree Pests

Many pests enjoy the fragrant temptation of cherry blossom trees, making them especially susceptible to disease or compromised fruit production. Cherry blossom pests vary depending on where you live, but below are a few of the most common pests.

Common Problems with Japanese Flowering Cherry Trees

Other than the aforementioned diseases and pests, cherry blossom trees are prone to growth and health issues that make them susceptible to shorter lifespans. Be on the lookout for problems such as:

• Stunted growth

• Discolored fruit or leaves

• Spoiled fruit

• Wilted or discolored leaves

• Distorted shoots

• Dying branches

Common causes behind your flowering cherry tree’s growth include:

• Extreme winters

• Drought

• Too little sunlight

• Excessive rainfall and moisture

• Compacted, poor-draining soil

• Too much mulch

• Too deep of a planting

• Root damage

A pro can inspect your tree and get to the root of the problem.