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well as the slight pubescence on the underside of the mature leaf. Before the leaves appear, the blossoms are out, with pinkish or white small flowers. The typical bark of an old stem shows fissures lengthwise. It takes many years before a tree begins to flower in more abundance, something that makes its marketing difficult for the garden center. Prunus pendula f. ascendens (Makino) Ohwi Edo-higan Synonyms: Prunus itosakura var. ascendens Makino, P. aequinoctialis Miyoshi, P. subhirtella var. ascendens (Makino) Tanaka Less current synonyms: spring cherry, equinox cherry, higan-zakura, uba-zakura, azumahigan, uba-higan Description: Tree large, with an erect trunk, branches spreading upwards to 12 m or more, rarely to 20 m, long lived. Young leaves not out at the time of flowering, or sparingly here and there a light green sprout (more sprouts together with few blossoms in young trees). Twigs of young shoots pubescent. Serration of mature leaves double, with rather small acute tips, without glands; the underside shows hairs on the central vein. Petiole pubescent. Stipules about 10 mm. Umbellate inflorescence, with three to five flowers. Peduncles very short or absent, pedicel 2.02.5 cm, pubescent, with a distinct red shade. Flower in bud pinkish, turning to almost white towards the end of flowering (RHS 56-C). Flower diameter 1.52.0 cm. Petals five, obovate, 915 Ă— 711 mm, emarginate at the tip. There is one pistil, perfect, about 12 mm long; it is about as long as, or sometimes longer than, the longest stamens. The small calyx is urceolate, as a wide, globular pitcher with a distinctly narrower mouth(!); it is less pubescent than the pedicel but has a deeper red hue. Sepals are elongated, triangular, and a little pubescent, and have a few teeth and hairs at the edge. Flowering season is late March in Tokyo. Prunus pendula f. ascendens has a diploid set of chromosomes (2n = 16). Beni Higan Sakura (synonym Prunus subhirtella var. rosea (Miyoshi) Ingram) is a pink selection discussed by Ingram (1948). At present it is not found in collections or in nursery catalogs. Shrubs or small trees sold now as the rosebud cherry or P. subhirtella 'Rosea' seem to be a form of the triploid P. Ă—subhirtella rather than Collingwood Ingram's 'Beni-higan-sakura', but some questions remain.