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dula (Wada 1937). Maximowicz properly described it as P. pendula. Later, it was understood to be a form of the ascending and later-described P. pendula f. ascendens. The weeping, spontaneous form was described anew for esoteric taxonomic reasons as P. spachiana f. spachiana. Indeed it is a wild form, and there is no generally accepted clonal cultivar. Details of the flowers differ from specimen to specimen, but these pose no practical problem as all the specimens are nice and well flowered, although never so nice and deep pink as the more narrowly defined 'Beni-shidare' discussed below. The thin branches weep because of their fast growth and supple character, indeed like threads, and not because of differences in growth speed between the upper and lower sides of a spreading branch. Once developed the branches make a firm wood and become stiff (Kawasaki 1994, after Teruko Nakamura). Good gardeners make use of this characteristic by tying up a leader branch to train it as the stem of the tree. Weeping branches on older trees are pruned on upward buds making for a widely cascading tree, in Japan often supported by many stilts. A less time-consuming approach in the nursery involves grafting this cherry on an established stem; however, this practice results in a less beautiful tree shape as no branches grow higher than the place of grafting. The Japanese common name shidare-zakura means simply "weeping cherry" and could be confused with other weeping cherries. Prunus pendula Maximowicz Ito-zakura Synonyms: Prunus itosakura Siebold, P. pendula Makino, P. pendula Maximowicz 'Pendula', P. spachiana Kitamura f. spachiana, P. subhirtella var. pendula (Maximowicz) Tanaka, P. subhirtella Miquel 'Pendula' Less current synonyms: weeping spring cherry, shidare-zakura Description: Tree large, to 8 m high or more when trained, with drooping branchlets. Young leaves not out at the time of flowering, or sparingly here and there a light green sprout (more sprouts together with some blossoms in young trees). Twigs of young shoots pubescent. Serration of mature leaves double mixed with single; with small acute tips, without glands; the underside is pubescent especially on the central vein. Petiole pubescent. Stipules about 10 mm. Umbellate inflorescence, with three to four flowers. Peduncles very short or absent, pedicel 13 cm, pubescent, with a red shade. Flowers pinkish, turning to almost white towards the end of flowering, but variable. Flower diameter 23 cm. Petals five, about 1 cm long, width a lit-