Accolade Flowering Cherry

Accolade is a deciduous flowering cherry selected at Knap Hill in England from a cross of Prunus sargentii and Prunus subhirtella. Its open, spreading crown carries slender, drooping branches; dark pink buds open into soft-pink, semi-double flowers in early spring, often before the leaves emerge. ## Features Smooth reddish-brown bark and orange-to-yellow autumn foliage add interest outside the bloom period, and this selection is usually fruitless. Oregon State University recognizes the name Prunus 'Accolade' and lists P. subhirtella 'Accolade' as a synonym. Its profile reports a mature tree around 25 feet tall and wide, exposure from sun to part shade, and hardiness to USDA Zone 4. Give the crown room to spread and use it as a spring-flowering specimen or garden tree. [Oregon State University profile](https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/prunus-accolade). ## Maintenance Prunus trees are best pruned in mid-summer to reduce the risk of silver leaf disease. [Royal Horticultural Society guidance](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/types/trees/reducing-size-safely).