Cherry Trees

W3rdSmyth

Well, I had a very proud moment over the weekend with my Australian Brush Cherry. I have a bloom! Yes, to some that might not be a big deal, but I've had this tree for two years and when I got it the tree had a double trunk planting and the second tree in the pot was pretty well deceased when I purchased the tree, I got it from the clearance mark down special section for about $15. Anyhow, after two years of care, the beginning of this year I started becoming a bonsai addict and added many trees to my collection but the cherry, even though scrawny and ugly, was the one I've worked hardest on and it finally rewarded my work with a beautiful sunburst bloom that my girlfriend says looks like fireworks hahaha.

Now, my question. One of my favorite movies is "The Last Samurai" with Tom Cruise. In that movie there is much discussion of blossoms and in the movie they show incredible pink blooming trees that I have been assuming were cherry trees. If any of you have seen that movie, you know how they discuss seeking the perfect blossom, etc. What kind of trees are those!? If they are cherry trees, what kind of cherry trees are they? Anyone?

Thanks very much for bearing with me through my rambling post!

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rockm

Flowering cherry trees are in the "prunus" family, the same as plum trees. There are literally hundreds of Japanese flowering cherry varieties. "Kwanzan" is one variety known for profuse flowering.

Cherries don't make the same calibre bonsai as other trees like apple, or even plum though.

Don't know if you know it, but Australian brush cherry isn't a cherry tree.