Plant Picks -- Prunus 'First Lady'

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A U.S. National Arboretum introduction, 'First Lady' has a strong, upright growth habit. Photo courtesy of U.S. National Arboretum

Prunus 'First Lady'
New cherry answers call for smaller flowering trees

Cherries are undeniably beautiful small trees. As landscapes become more compact, flowering cherries will be more in demand.

While cherry trees have the beauty and compact size many urban gardeners like, they're vulnerable to insects, diseases and overly moist soils. That's why the U.S. National Arboretum's work to toughen up these trees is so valuable. Stronger cherries would require less fertilizer and pesticides.

Prunus 'First Lady' represents an elegant achievement in the arboretum's cherry breeding program. It is the first in a series of flowering cherries to be named after first ladies of the United States.

It combines the heavy flowering and hardiness of its female parent, Prunus x incamp 'Okame,' with the deep rose-pink flowers and dark-green, heavily textured foliage of its male parent, P. campanulata. Dark-pink, single, semi-pendulous flowers open in late March in the Washington, D.C., area, at approximately the same time as 'Okame.'

The strongly upright growth habit of 'First Lady' has withstood the test of time. At 20 years, the original tree is 27 feet tall with a crown width of 14 feet.

Foliage is glossy and dark green with good disease tolerance. Fall color is yellow-orange to orange-red.

Cultural tips

National Arboretum horticulturist Ruth Dix calls it a "stress-free cultivar."

'First Lady' grows and flowers well in full sun in well-drained soil.

To propagate, softwood cuttings are taken from juvenile plants or by budding and grafting. Propagation by cuttings from mature plants is challenging.

'First Lady' is hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 6-8, possibly Zone 9.

Trees are available from J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. in Boring, Ore., which provided part of the financing through its J. Frank Schmidt Family Charitable Trust, that allowed the National Arboretum staff to propagate, evaluate and introduce the new cherry.

-- Kevin Neal

SPECIFICS:
Name: Prunus 'First Lady'
Common name: 'First Lady' flowering cherry.
Family: Rosaceae.
Hardiness: USDA Hardiness Zones 6-8, possibly Zone 9.
Description: Single, deep-pink flowers appear on stiffly upright branches on a narrower tree. Leaves are greener than its parents.
Landscape uses: Specimen plant; group plantings in residential, park or public areas; highway beautification plantings; street plantings; or in areas where a large spreading tree is problematic.
For more: Margaret Pooler, U.S. National Arboretum, 3501 New York Ave. N.E., Washington, DC 20002; (202) 245-2726; fax (202) 245-4575; www.usna.usda.gov. J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co., 9500 S.E. 327th Ave., Boring, OR 97009-9710; (800) 825-8202; fax (503) 663-7629; www.jfschmidt.com.