Akebono Flowering Cherry

Akebono is a deciduous flowering cherry selection of Prunus × yedoensis. A San Jose nursery introduced it around 1925. Its spreading crown reaches about 25 feet high and wide, with soft-pink flowers appearing in early spring before the leaves. ## Features Flowers may fade toward white, while foliage turns yellow to orange in autumn; small black fruits may attract birds. Oregon State University credits the selection to W.B. Clarke Nursery, lists USDA Zone 5 hardiness, and gives Daybreak and Amerika as synonyms. North Carolina Extension describes pink and white fragrant flowers, full sun, and moist, well-drained soil. The cultivar is also called Akebono Yoshino Cherry and Daybreak Yoshino Cherry. Allow room for its broad canopy when choosing a site. [Oregon State University profile](https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/prunus-yedoensis-akebono) and [North Carolina Extension profile](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/prunus-x-yedoensis-akebono/). ## 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).