On 27/03/2012 10:46, AL_n wrote:
wrote in
:

Perhaps I should be looking at a different type of 15ft high
semi-weeping tree altogether. I've been looking at dogwoods, and
salix, and the aforementions bottlebrush. I also have a tamarisk
sapling that is already 3ft tall. I wonder if that will end up being
the winning candidate! I'm right on the South Coast, but my soil is
far from "well-drained"; it is seriously clayey.

Al



If you want a cherry tree that won't attract bees, you're better off
looking at a double-flowering form. However, with this type, you will
not get fruit. In double-flowerers the reproductive organs (stamen,
etc) are mostly developed into the extra petals you see, therefore
bees aren't interested and there is no fertilisation, so the plant
cannot reproduce. This also means that the flowering season is
extended because the flowers do 'go over' as fertilised flowers do
prior to forming fruit.


Many thanks for this info, which I wasn't aware of. That's helpful, because
a prolific-flowering cherry doeas appeal to me - especially if bees aren;t
interested in it. The presence of the extra blossom more or less mitigates
the lack of fruit, for my purposes.

Can anyone suggest a particular variety to look for, that is semi-weeping,
or wide-spreading, and grows to a maximum of about 16 ft? (preferaby not a
grafted type, because I think those look unnatural, and I gather are also
more prone to disease).

Al




A white double-flowered cherry might be Prunus 'Shirotae'.
A pink double-flowered cherry might be Prunus 'Pink Perfection'.
There are many others.

Most ornamental cherries that you see are likely to be taller than you
require and probably grafted. Grafted is not actually a dirty word,
although bad grafts have contributed to this impression. In fact, for
someone such as yourself who requires a smaller tree, grafting (on a
dwarfing rootstock) is exactly what you need.

Try and buy from a nursery where you can see the tree and its graft,
rather than on-line where you can't. Have a good look at the graft.
Ask for advice if you're not sure it's firm enough. Many nurserymen
will tell you that you don't need to stake a grafted tree but, if it
saves you some anxiety, stake it until it's obvious that the graft is
thoroughly established. There may very well follow a discussion on how
a tree needs to flex in the wind (ie no stake) in order to strengthen
itself. This is a perfectly valid argument, with which I agree
whole-heartedly. Therefore, free your tree from its stake as soon as
reasoanbly possible. I have often left the stake in place for a year or
two after untying it, so that I can secure the tree again over winter
when it might be seriously whipped by strong winds.

The other thing you need to know about all the Prunus family, is that
they must be pruned in warm dry weather (say, April to August). Cuts or
damage made in cold wet weather may invite the fungal disease Silver Leaf.

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay