Last Updated on November 29, 2021 by
You’re not the first to believe that snow fountain weeping cherry tree care is too time-consuming, but surprisingly they’re very low-maintenance!
Spring is a peculiar season when everything comes to life. But some parts of nature are created to take your breath away, more than others. Prunus or the snow fountain weeping cherry tree is one of them. The elegantly cascading branches full of white flowers can make you fall in love with the tree.
We’re too used to thinking that everything that looks good is hard to handle. Fortunately, snow fountain cherries are not, and here’s how you can have one gracing your garden!
Growing Snow Fountain Trees In Your Backyard
The snow fountain weeping tree is an ornamental tree that thrives in the sunny section of your garden. It starts blooming in May and the white flowers stay for at least 3 weeks. After the flowers are gone, small leaves take their place. As fall approaches the leaves turn all the golden shades. The tree creates a captivating scene in your garden more than half the year!
Now that you’ve fallen in love with its looks, let’s prepare your garden. Here’s what you need to know before purchasing the tree.
How To Plant
The snow fountain tree loves moist but well-draining soil. It can tolerate any soil type and ph level, whether chalk, clay, or sand. However, when it comes to weather conditions, it thrives best in USDA zones 4 to 8.
Pick a section of your garden that’s constantly exposed to sunlight. The snow fountain cherry tree can tolerate minimal amounts of shade. Work in compost or manure into the soil before planting. Dig a hole as big as your root ball but double in width. Drive a stake near the place of the root ball, but before planting the tree.
Transfer your tree into the hole and cover it with soil and mulch. Don’t put the mulch too close to the root as it can lead to rooting. Tie the tree to the stake for additional support while it grows taller. Snow fountain weeping cherry tree care won’t take up any time of your day, as it only requests watering once a week.
Best Time To Plant Snow Fountain Weeping Cherry Trees
The young trees are sensitive to weather changes. Planting your new tree during harsher weather can be disastrous. Instead, choose late spring or early summer.
How Tall Can You Expect Them To Grow?
Snow fountain weeping cherry trees grow a foot a year until they reach their full growth. Eventually, they range between 8 to 15 feet. They’re 6 to 12 feet wide when the tree’s not pruned. Keep the proportions in mind when picking the perfect spot for planting.
White Snow Fountain Weeping Cherry Tree
The white snow fountain weeping cherry tree originates in Asia and made its way to the west at the end of the 19th century. China and Japan, which cultivated the enhancing tree, granted thousands of exemplars to the US back in 1912.
The vast size of the standard tree is not fit for smaller gardens. This created the need for a dwarfed version. Enthusiasts took up on the challenge and at the beginning of the 20th century, a dwarf version was revealed.
Why It’s Called Weeping Snow Fountain Cherry
You can probably recall the first time you spotted this fabulous tree. It’s a wonderful sighting that leaves you speechless. Its scientific name, Prunus, doesn’t make it any justice. The reason behind its commercial name is obvious. The long elegant branches ‘spring’ from the treetop and make their way almost to the ground. In spring they fill up with small white flowers and resemble a snowy fountain.
The tree blooms each May for 3 consecutive weeks. The tiny white flowers also have a discreet scent.
The Best Care Tips & Tricks
Providing your snow fountain weeping cherry tree with proper care is a must. While the tree is not high maintenance, some basic conditions can make all the difference. After all, it needs years to reach its full potential, so you need to put some thought into position and protection.
Check all the right boxes, and it will result in a fascinating scene each spring and fall.
Pruning
You need to perform some pruning after the blooming period has ended. With pruning, you’ll remove the dead and wilted branches, shorten some of them and make a place for new growth. If you’re a little more skilled you can prune the tree in any shape. Summer is the perfect time to prune the tree as it blooms in spring.
Air Circulation
Snow fountain weeping cherry trees are not immune to pests and disease. Planting the tree in a section with good air circulation is a must. Bacterial canker is the tree’s worst enemy. Leaf spot and brown rot blossom blight can destroy your blooms and leaves.
Well-draining soil will minimize the chances of disease. Pest management can help you control the caterpillars, aphids, and scales.
Are Snow Fountain Trees Messy?
Considering the amount of blossom the snow fountain weeping cherry tree produces, there is some messiness behind it.
The truth is while flowers are pretty, their petals fall off, leading to a snowy garden. Staying true to its name, the snow fountain tree covers the ground around it with a layer of ‘snowflakes’.
Planting the tree around a green patch will cut some of the cleaning troubles. But winds can scatter the tiny petals all around your garden, so be prepared.
Final Say: Snow Fountain Weeping Cherry Tree Care
Snow fountain weeping cherry trees are low maintenance trees suitable for states in USDA zones 4 to 8. Originally an Asian ornamental tree, this garden jewel can bloom in your backyard too. All you need is a sunny spot with good air circulation and well-draining soil.
Water it once a week with an inch of water or more often during the hotter months. Protect it from pests and prune it after the blooming has ended.
Are you fascinated by snow fountain weeping cherry trees?
Read more about the Importance Of Fertilizer For Weeping Cherry Tree.
Mary is a passionate gardener who loves spending her days getting her hands dirty and nurturing her plants. She‘s an avid reader of gardening magazines and is always looking for new ways to make her garden thrive. When not outside tending to her plants, Mary can be found inside reading up on the latest gardening trends, comparing notes with fellow gardeners, and finding the perfect pottery planter for her next planting project.
