Prunus Chocolate Ice ('Matsumae-fuki')
flowering cherry blossom tree (syn. 'Chocolate Ice')
This tree is deciduous so it will lose all its leaves in autumn, then fresh new foliage appears again each spring.
- Position: full sun
- Soil: moderately fertile, moist, well-drained soil
- Rate of growth: fast
- Flowering period: April to May
- Hardiness: fully hardy
The large showy flowers of 'Matsumae-fuki' open blush white against the newly emerged red-tinted, chocolate brown foliage in April-May. More commonly known as 'Chocolate Ice', the foliage of this stunning, award-winning, small feature tree gradually darkens to a deeper green as the summer progresses.
When planting your ornamental cherry, prepare a hole up to three times the diameter of its root system. Fork over the base of the pit in readiness, incorporating plenty of organic matter into the backfill and planting hole. Avoiding frozen and waterlogged soil, trees should be planted out as they arrive. If you've ordered a bare root tree, soak the roots in a bucket of water for half an hour prior to planting, or if this is not possible, they can be heeled in temporarily, covering their roots with soil, or potted up. Choose a sheltered spot to protect emerging blossom. Lightly prune in summer to reduce the risk of silver leaf and bacterial canker, to retain an open ‘goblet' shape and remove any damaged, diseased or broken branches.