Prunus speciosa

Prunus speciosa is a deciduous tree typically high. The leaves are 5–10 cm long and 3–6 cm broad, with a double-toothed margin, and an acuminate apex. The flowers are 2.5–4 cm diameter, with five white petals, gold stamens and brown sepals; they grow in clusters in the spring, and are hermaphroditic. The fruit is a small black cherry about 1 cm diameter. A tree 8 m in circumference and 800 years old is known on Ōshima island. It has been designated a national treasure. ==Cultivation and cultivar==

. Yoshino cherry (left) and Oshima cherry (right) The Oshima cherry is widely cultivated as an ornamental tree. Because of its large, showy flowers it is planted in many gardens and parks. It prefers sun and moist but well draining soil. There are many cultivars. It is also a hybrid parent of many of the sakura flowering cherry cultivars. Oshima cherry is a paternal species of Yoshino cherry. ;Food The fruit is also edible. The flowers when dried are used to make tea. The leaves (sakura leaf or cherry leaf) are used in cooking and medicine to make 'cherry tree rice cake', but P. speciosa is not the only sakura leaf. ==Classification==

The plant was first described by Gen'ichi Koidzumi as Prunus jamasakura var. speciosa, and later treated as a separate species by Collingwood Ingram (1880-1981). or (particularly in Japan) as a variety of it, Prunus lannesiana var. speciosa (Koidz.) Makino. The name speciosa in Latin means "the beautiful", a name which likely was applied to the blossoming tree. ==See also==