The magnificent spectacle of a cherry blossom tree in full bloom captures global attention, signaling the arrival of spring. This brief flowering period, however, only represents a fraction of the tree’s annual cycle. For the remaining ten to eleven months, the ornamental cherry, a species of the Prunus genus, presents distinct characteristics that allow for its identification long after the petals have fallen. Understanding the tree’s appearance during its non-flowering phases reveals the structure and seasonal changes that define its year-round presence.
Identifying Characteristics During the Growing Season
Once the blossoms have faded, the tree transitions quickly into its vegetative growth phase, becoming a robust shade tree defined by its foliage and overall form. The leaves emerge a reddish or bronze color before maturing into a deep, glossy green that dominates the canopy throughout the warmer months. Individual leaves are oblong-ovate with finely serrated edges, a common trait among trees in the Prunus family.
The mature canopy shape varies significantly depending on the specific cultivar, providing an important identification cue. Varieties like the Yoshino cherry often form a broad, spreading crown, while the Kwanzan cherry typically grows into a more upright, vase-like shape. This dense summer foliage is supported by bark that displays a signature feature: prominent, horizontal lines called lenticels. These corky pores are necessary for gas exchange, and their distinctly banded appearance is a reliable marker for cherry trees when the leaves are present or absent.
The Appearance of the Tree in Autumn
The growing season concludes with an autumnal display, where the dense green canopy undergoes a dramatic transformation before dormancy. The fall color palette of cherry trees is diverse and depends heavily on the specific variety, ranging from bright golds and yellows to rich copper, bronze, and intense shades of orange and red. For instance, the foliage of the ‘Shirotae’ cultivar can turn a vivid orange-red, while others might settle into a peachy-gold or deep burgundy.
Following pollination, many ornamental cherry trees will develop small, dark fruits, classified as drupes. These tiny, black cherries are generally inedible to humans and are not the focus of cultivation. However, they serve as an important food source for songbirds as they ripen and persist on the branches throughout the late summer and early autumn. A few cultivars, such as the Autumn Higan cherry, may even produce a modest, sporadic encore of pink blossoms alongside the changing leaves.
The Structure of the Tree in Winter
When fully dormant, the cherry tree’s architectural form is revealed, making its structural elements the sole means of identification until spring. The bark is a primary feature, often appearing dark gray or reddish-brown and becoming rougher and more weathered with age. The distinctive horizontal lenticels remain highly visible year-round, looking like pronounced, slightly raised bands wrapping around the trunk and major limbs.
The overall silhouette of the tree in winter is one of the most reliable identification tools. Branching patterns vary from the elegant, cascading form of weeping cherries to the strictly upright, columnar shapes of others. Even without foliage, the branches typically maintain a graceful, slightly spreading habit that distinguishes them from other common deciduous species. The way the branches ascend and then often arch slightly outward contributes to the characteristic winter profile.
The most specialized identification feature in the dormant season is the structure of the buds, which are formed the previous summer and hold the potential for the coming spring. Flower buds and leaf buds are easily distinguishable by their shape and size on the bare wood. The flower buds, which contain the tightly packed bloom, are noticeably plumper, rounder, and fatter than their counterparts.
The vegetative or leaf buds, by contrast, are typically much slimmer, flatter, and more pointed, clinging closer to the stem of the branch. These distinct forms allow an observer to accurately predict where a flower cluster will emerge versus where a new leafy shoot will develop. These dormant buds are strategically positioned to survive the cold, with the flower buds containing all the necessary internal parts, which continue a slow, continuous development even during the deep chill of winter.