Prunus × incam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Prunus × incam |
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Prunus
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× incam
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The Prunus × incam is a special kind of flowering cherry tree. It is sometimes called the Okamé cherry. This tree is a hybrid species. This means it was created by mixing two different types of cherry trees.
The Okamé cherry is a mix of the Fuji cherry and the Taiwan or bellflower cherry. It grows into a small tree, usually up to 8 meters (about 26 feet) tall. It has pretty silver bark and bright pink flowers that look amazing. Its leaves are shaped like an oval or a spoon. They are about 47 to 70 millimeters long. In the fall, the leaves turn a beautiful bronze-orange-red color.
Because it is a hybrid, this tree rarely produces fruit. However, it makes a lot of pollen. This pollen is important for bees and other insects. To grow more Okamé cherry trees, people use cuttings. This means they take a small branch from an existing tree and plant it.
About the Okamé Cherry
The Okamé cherry is a beautiful flowering tree. It is known for its stunning pink blossoms. These trees are often planted in gardens and parks. They add a lot of color in the spring.
How This Cherry Was Created
The Prunus × incam was developed by a person named Collingwood Ingram. He was a plant expert. He created this hybrid tree before 1942. He did this by taking pollen from a Taiwan cherry tree. Then, he used this pollen to pollinate a Fuji cherry tree. This careful process led to the new Okamé cherry.
What Makes It Special?
The Okamé cherry is very popular. In 1993, a specific type of Okamé cherry, called the 'Okamé' cultivar, won an important award. It received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Another type, the 'Shosar' cultivar, also won this award in 2012. These awards show that these trees are excellent for gardens.
One great thing about Okamé cherries is that their flowers last longer than many other cherry trees. Even after the pink petals fall off, the red parts of the flower, called sepals and hypanthia, stay on the tree for one or two weeks. This makes the tree look pretty for a longer time. Many different types of Okamé cherry trees are available to buy.
