Prunus himalaica facts for kids
The Himalayan Cherry (Prunus himalaica) is a type of cherry tree that grows naturally in Nepal. People often plant it in other places because of its beautiful, shiny, reddish-brown bark. This tree likes to grow high up in the Himalayas, usually around 3,900 meters (about 12,800 feet) above sea level.
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What Does the Himalayan Cherry Look Like?
The Himalayan Cherry is a small deciduous tree or a bush. This means it loses its leaves every year. It can grow up to 5.5 meters (about 18 feet) tall.
Bark and Branches
The tree has smooth, shiny brown bark. You can see small, raised lines called lenticels on it. These are like tiny pores that help the tree breathe. Its bark looks a bit like the copper-red bark of the Tibetan cherry (Prunus serrula), but it's a darker brown. Younger branches of the Himalayan Cherry are more purple. They have a soft, brownish-red fuzz on them.
Leaves
The leaves are usually 4 to 5 centimeters (about 1.5 to 2 inches) wide and 6 to 8 centimeters (about 2.5 to 3 inches) long. They are shaped like an oval. The top side of the leaves is bright green and has tiny hairs. The underside is a lighter green with lots of brown hairs, especially on the veins. Each leaf has 9 to 13 main side veins. The edges of the leaves are double-toothed, like a saw. The tips are pointed, and the bases are rounded. Each leaf sits on a fuzzy stem about 1 centimeter (0.4 inches) long.
Flowers
The flowers of the Himalayan Cherry grow in small clusters called umbels. There are usually one or two flowers in each cluster. Each flower hangs from a fuzzy stalk that is about 3.5 to 4.5 centimeters (about 1.4 to 1.8 inches) long. The cup-like part of the flower (called the hypanthium) is smooth and about 1 centimeter long. The sepals, which are small leaf-like parts that protect the bud, are oval-shaped and have tiny glands on their edges. They are often bent backward. The petals of the flowers are a pale pink color. Each flower has about 45 stamens, which are the parts that produce pollen.
Why is it Planted?
The Himalayan Cherry is grown as an ornamental tree. This means people plant it just for its beauty, not for its fruit or wood. Its attractive bark is a big reason why it's so popular. All the Himalayan Cherry trees grown outside their native home come from one single tree. This tree was found in 1965 in the Langtang Valley in Nepal by a person named Tony Schilling.
