Diversity and breeding of flowering cherry in Japan

Abstract

In early spring, the flowering of cherry trees is taken as a good sign for farmers to initiate rice cultivation in Japan. In the era before calendars, the timing of cultivation was very important for growing rice plants in temperate regions. Nine native species of flowering cherry (Prunus subgenus Cerasus) are present in Japan and they are classified into three groups: Yamazakura, Miyamazakura, and Edohigan. More than 250 cultivars of Japanese flowering cherry have been selected or bred from these wild species. Two species, Oshimazakura and Edohigan, have specially contributed to the breeding of flowering cherry cultivars. While Edohigan is distributed in most areas of Japan, Oshimazakura (of the Yamazakura group) is an endemic species found around the Izu and Boso Peninsulas. ‘Somei-yoshino,’ Prunus × yedoensis, is the most popular cultivar and now comprises 80-90% of all flowering cherry trees planted in Japan. ‘Someiyoshino’ was probably created through hybridization between Edohigan and Oshimazakura in the Edo era. In this paper, the diversity and breeding of Japanese flowering cherry, including the origin of ‘Somei-yoshino,’ are described along with the political and horticultural backgrounds.