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Today in its homeland as well as in the West, 'Shirotae' is one of the better known cultivars thanks to its abundant and beautiful flowers, healthy and vigorous growth, and remarkably broad tree shape. If it gets the room it deserves, it is without doubt the most gorgeous white-flowering cherry. Older trees show an overwhelming bloom that is richer than other white cherries, such as 'Tai-haku' or 'Washi-no-o'. The flowers are, at 5 cm in diameter, among the largest of the flowering cherries, and somewhat resemble a rambling rose. They have a crushed almond fragrance. Outer petals may have a faint pink shade on the outside. Kawasaki (1994) supposes a parentage of 'Mazakura', as for the triploids 'Washi-no-o' and 'Ariake'. Typical of 'Shirotae' are the large, pale-green leaves that have a serration tipped with long awns. To take full advantage of the splendid spreading habit of this cherry, it is recommended to work it on a high rootstock and give the tree room to display its widereaching branches. If the stock is not
Figure 161 'Shirotae' flowers have thin, clothlike petals with a faint pink coloring on the outer petals. Petaloids develop as perfect petals under better climatic conditions. Unfolding foliage shows long bristles on the serration. Photo by Arie Peterse.