Those zone numbers refer to cold hardiness not heat tolerance.
The problem with the higher zones is not necessarily heat but rather the absence of a long enough period of cold required for the trees to come out of dormancy.
I'd imagine you're going to need plenty of irrigation for these too. Or else they're going to drop most of their leaves and look kinda ugly.

There are spectacularly flowering plantings of 'Pink Cloud' in a park in San Diego. Maybe try that one instead. The cultivar originated from a seedling that came up in the Huntington Botanical Garden, near Los Angeles.

The tree is on the retail market because L.E. Cooke grows it, supplies it to garden centers etc.

Here is a link that might be useful: Pink_Cloud(CMYK).pdf

Thanks for the suggestion bboy. We might consider but we are both allergic to the color pink;) We are really hoping for a white, non-weeping variety(akebono or yoshina) if it will thrive. Otherwise we might look into some purple ones that I see around LA and Pasadena

You gave me a good idea however and that's to go to the huntington gardens as whatever they have growing there hopefully should thrive in our yard. They also have a japanese garden there which is the inspiration for the cherry tree in the first place.

Thanks again,
Adam

There's loads of flowering exotics that can be grown in socal. I'm not sure why you're so set on cherries. They've got their fair share of issues even for folks in the east.
And by the way our yoshino flowers pinkish.

Yes, you will not avoid pink with Prunus x yedoensis. Particularly with P. x yedoensis 'Akebono'. That's why I suggested 'Pink Cloud', it sounded like you wanted a pink kind.

Presumably at some point this will appear at outlets. Note the origin. Again, you do not completely avoid pink but maybe you'd like it anyway.

(Probably a re-naming of one that already had an older name, but I can't say what that might be - there is more than a few kinds of Japanese flowering cherries, some of them quite similar to one another. The small number currently prevalent in US commerce are the tip of an iceberg.)

Here is a link that might be useful: Angel's Blush® Flowering Cherry (Prunus serrulata 'Taizo') - Monrovia

It smells like carnations. Japanese apricot is the "Flowering Plum" of Shoji prints. I've read that in Japan there is a park with blocks of multiple specimens each of something like 500 kinds.

I have a red kind and a pink kind here, when in bloom the fragrance wafts for yards during mild conditions. The red one usually comes out in February.

Here is a link that might be useful: RosemaryClarke(CMYK).pdf

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. It seems like the consensus is that the yoshino and akebono might not do too well in our climate. We'll definately have to consider the pink cloud or the flowering Apricot. It seems that these will be a darker pink but we might prefer these to having half dead trees in our yard.

And find a nursery that stands behind their plants and offers a warranty rather than take an "you're on your own" approach.

The cherry page I linked to shows one that opens white, the Japanese apricot page I linked to shows a white variety that is supplied to garden centers. Other flowering Prunus are shown and described on the L.E. Cooke web site. You can also find tables of them, with Sunset climate zone indications in the Sunset WESTERN GARDEN BOOK.

That should have been "one that ages white".

Hi there! I strongly believe with the right amount of care, a yoshino flowering cherry can grow, that is, thrive, in your zone. Be sure to inoculate the roots with mycorrhizal fungi before planting as this will help with improving the uptake of essential nutrients that are, well, essential, for the strengthening of the root system and the tree as a whole. *My recommendation: xtreme gardening Mykos Root Packs http://www.ebay.com/itm/Xtreme-Gardening-Mykos-10-gram-Root-Paks-20-ct-/150964902917?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0amp;hash=item2326359c05 or Green go Ultrafine Mycorrhizae http://www.thegreengro.com/ or both! By both I mean you could dip the roots in a liquid mycorrhizae inoculant and then rest the root packs upon the bare roots before covering them up. Also, after it's been planted, you might want to surround it with mulch--hardwood mulch. Also, another tip, you might want to plant it facing east. This way the yoshino will receive the morning sun and part of the afternoon sun, while receiving shade in the better part of the afternoon and evening hours. Bottom line: You must be patient with yoshinos. Like I said, I'm a strong believer that with the right amount of provisions, you can grow a yoshino in your zone, Los Angeles. Cheers! Best.

I am in coastal Southern California (zone 10a) and am growing one Yoshino and three Kanzan cherry blossom trees. The problem with inadequate chill is that the trees are reluctant to come out of dormancy, and if they never were able to enter into dormancy in the first place, their growth is far less vigorous. I did get 3 or 4 blooms from the Yoshino, and it is just a seedling. I will have to wait and see with the other ones.

Without getting any chill, it is very likely that a young seedling will not survive. The growth just gets held back too much to sustain the plant, there will only be a few feeble little leaves. Bigger more established plants are better able to tolerate inadequate chill. But the lack of winter makes them more vulnerable to insects and disease, so typically a cherry blossom tree in a warm climate only has a lifespan of 10-15 years, sometimes even less.

The nursery was right about recommending a spot with morning sun. The leaves on my young cherry trees are getting scorched by the hot sun, some of the leaves have turned yellow-brown. Cherry trees supposedly like full sun, but that is not true in hot sunny climates. This is more an issue for young plants, bigger plants with more established root systems are better able to handle this. The same is even partially true for growing orange trees here.

Also, without chill, the plant is likely to send out far fewer blossoms, and possibly flower sporadically throughout the year, without the single impressive display cherry blossoms are known for.

Regular cherry blossom trees are not suited to a Zone 10 climate, but I am not going to say it's impossible. I am certainly trying.

The two ornamental cherry varieties that are more suited to a warm climates are the Formosan cherry (goes by several different common names) and Pink Cloud, though the blossoms are less attractively shaped. To some it might not matter, but to me I feel this would be too much of a compromise. I want to grow the "real thing". The Formosan cherry, while still in the same species, is probably much more distantly related to the other ornamental cherry varieties. It's really in a separate category of its own. I suspect Pink Cloud was derived from the Formosan cherry (although Huntington Gardens claims it originated by chance on their grounds from a white-flowered serrulata variety, there have also long been Formosan cherries growing on their grounds too, so cross-pollination could have been possible)

I live on the gulf coast on zone 9b and the cherry tree that do well here with low chill are: Taiwanese flowering cherry(dark pink), okame flowering cherry(light pink),

first lady flowering cherry(dark pink), and pink cloud flowering cherry(light pink).

All do well in the hot humid south if planted in some shade. I_I

Yoshino cherry, planted as a small seedling, growing south of Los Angeles:

So it is possible.

It produced 3 tiny blossoms last year too, but this blossom is bigger. In this warm climate the blossoms come out in late February, apparently.

We had a colder winter this year than is usual for this area, so that probably helped. Last year the seedling tree did not leaf out as vigorously.

As for the color, last year the small blossoms started out as almost pink and then faded after just a few days to white. So the petals in the picture are only pink because the flower just blossomed a day or two ago.

Does it have to be a cherry? Try redbud (purple or white cultivar alba) or tabebuia (yellow).

Flowering quince is another one that a small number of people plant down here, but it's really more suited to zone 9.

(choose a low-chill variety like 'Texas Scarlet' )

Magnolia.

Update, here's the little Yoshino cherry tree this year:

I make sure to give it extra care so the soil doesn't dry out at its base.

So far it looks like something on the order of 'Pink Cloud' and not like P. x yedoensis. Details of leaf and flower morphology would be used to check identification.

Yoshino can have a slight pink tinge, especially on the inner area of the flower, but quickly fades to white. I don't think it looks like Pink Cloud. None of the blossoms have an intense pink blush. If you look at numerous pictures of Yoshino blossom close ups, you will see that the coloration can be variable, some of the flowers have magenta pink stamens, some of the don't. Or often there won't be any pink coloration in an entire tree. I am assuming Yoshino has some distant P. campanulata ancestor in its genepool, so maybe the coloration tends to be more expressed in warmer climates.

Justin Time

That's a really nice magnolia photo you got there

I wasn't talking about the flower color alone. A body won't be able to check this specimen without making close in person comparisons with known specimens of other kinds where all morphological components are considered.

Most people just have hibiscus growing here, but that's a bush, not a tree.

Although hibiscus can come in almost as many colors and varieties as roses do.

Another exotic option (you might have trouble finding it) is a Yellow Cotton tree: Tree you don't know about, with beautiful yellow flowers

Here's another exotic and unusual one, that hasn't been tested in this climate: "Rose of Venezuela"

More information about low chill flowering cherry varieties:

There is the Formosan cherry (Prunus campanulata), also called Taiwan cherry, and called kanhizakura in Japan. Several hybrids of kanhizakura with other Japanese flowering cherries exist: kanzakura, okame, and youkouzakura being the three most prominent. The Formasan cherry is remarkable for being the only flowering cherry not originally native to Japan, and its ability to thrive in the Southernmost part of Japan where there is very little chill.

'Pink Cloud' is another low-chill flowering cherry that was more recently developed. Pink Cloud was very likely derived from the Formosan cherry; although Huntington Gardens claims it originated by chance on their grounds from a white-flowered serrulata variety, there have also long been Formosan cherries growing on their grounds too, so cross-pollination could have been possible.

I don't think any of these lower chill flowering cherry varieties have as attractive blossoms as the regular cherry blossom trees though, but that's just my opinion.

Update on the little Yoshino cherry tree:

(I think being on its own roots helps to make it much more vigorous than the common grafted trees you'll find at a nursery, I have a big grafted Kwanzan that is not doing nearly so well)

My Yoshino Cherry Tree growing in SoCAL was thriving. But all of a sudden, the leaves have black spots and black tips.

It was growing at a very nice rate before summer. Now it looks like it has stalled.

There's a reason why a lot of Nursery will not ship Yoshino to CA.

Hi everyone.

First time poster. My family and I just bought a house in socal and one of our dream was to own a Yoshino tree here. From what I've read it doesn't seem like a good option but we will still like to try. I've noticed a lot won't ship to CA.. does anyone know a reliable website that would? Or any local nursey around Huntington Beach area? Any information would greatly be appreciated.

Do a web search for independent garden centers within comfortable driving distance and find out which, if any cherries they are/will be offering.

Much, if not most of the barriers to shipping of Prunus plants to California will probably be present due to the State trying to protect the orchard industry there. When you look at a retailer's catalog or site and it says "Cannot ship to California or Hawaii" agricultural restrictions will probably pretty much always be the basis for such statements.

My Yoshino cherry is leafing again

its grown in a pot. I will plant it in the ground later this weekend.

Orange County CA.

I'm in zone 9a and bought a yoshino cherry tree at a local nursery about a month ago. So far so good, my fingers are crossed that it will grow good.

My Yoshino cherry has been struggling in the pot. (Orange County CA zone 10-B). I finally decided to just plant it in the dirt. Will update everyone to see how it goes.

As for now, it's Summer and I'm starting to see a few buds? I thought they bud in the spring?

The tree itself is barely 2-3 ft tall. Lots are leaves were drying out. So I decided it plant it in the ground.

I'm garden grove anyone is interested in purchasing rooted cuttings of my yoshino cherry.

email vbx@ureach.com

Hello James, I'm also in the same area as you and I have a few Yoshino cuttings I got last fall that will not come out of dormancy. Just wondering how you got yours to grow in our mild winters.

Also that email address doesn't work.

Thanks

Hi,

I air layered my yoshino cherry. it's starting to bud right now. I'll take photos 2morrow.

Not budding, I mean leafing out.

It's starting to flower.

It's starting to flower. This is one of the cuttings. The main tree isn't flowing yet.