The cherry tree at Sutton Scotney

Ornamental Cherry at Sutton Scotney, 4 May 2023.

On Thursday I stopped briefly at Sutton Scotney services northbound (Hampshire), filled a mug of tea from the thermos, and was staggered by the sight of this cherry tree, one of three, with the most ridiculous lateral spread I've ever seen. This was in the evening of 4th May 2023; the blossom was maybe a few days past its best but it still looked fabulous.

Ornamental Cherry at Sutton Scotney, 4 May 2023.

Ornamental Cherry at Sutton Scotney, 4 May 2023.

Ornamental Cherry at Sutton Scotney, 4 May 2023.

Ornamental Cherry at Sutton Scotney, 4 May 2023.

Ornamental Cherry at Sutton Scotney, 4 May 2023.

Ornamental Cherry at Sutton Scotney, 4 May 2023.

I didn't recognize the variety. The nearest match I've been able to find is 'Hanagasa' or 'Matsumae-hanagasa', also known as 'Pink Parasol', but I read that this variety, developed in Japan in the 1960s, has only been available in the UK for about twenty years. Surely the tree I was looking at was twice that age? 

Ornamental Cherry at Sutton Scotney, 4 May 2023.

Ornamental Cherry at Sutton Scotney, 4 May 2023.

Ornamental Cherry at Sutton Scotney, 4 May 2023.

At the time I supposed it must be 'Kanzan', though the tree shape seemed bizarre, but I just couldn't think of any other double pink cherry of this size, except 'Shirofugen' which looks totally different.  Anyway I went and took some pictures of late 'Kanzan' blossom today (7 May 2023), just to dispel any lingering doubts.

Late blossom on Prunus 'Kanzan'. Frome, 7 May 2023.

Late blossom on Prunus 'Kanzan'. Frome, 7 May 2023.

Late blossom on Prunus 'Kanzan'. Frome, 7 May 2023.

Late blossom on Prunus 'Kanzan'. Frome, 7 May 2023.

Late blossom on Prunus 'Kanzan'. Frome, 7 May 2023.

So no, we can rule out 'Kanzan'. Though the blossom fades from its initial deep pink, the petals never turn white. But on the Sutton Scotney tree, it's apparent that the inner petals are white when they're freshly open, only turning pink as they age. 

This started me thinking about 'Shirofugen' again, because its blossom does the same thing. I reflected that maybe I'd been too hasty in writing it off; that after all 'Shirofugen' is typically flat-topped (unlike 'Kanzan') and that it does change its appearance a lot during its three weeks of flowering. 

So I paid another visit to the senescent 'Shirofugen' at Beanacre, now at a late stage of flowering. 

Late blossom on Prunus 'Shirofugen'. Beanacre, 11 May 2023.

Late blossom on Prunus 'Shirofugen'. Beanacre, 11 May 2023.

Late blossom on Prunus 'Shirofugen'. Beanacre, 11 May 2023.

Late (though in this case fairly fresh) blossom on Prunus 'Shirofugen'. Beanacre, 11 May 2023.

Late blossom on Prunus 'Shirofugen'. Beanacre, 11 May 2023.

But, I think you'll agree, it's definitely different from the Sutton Scotney tree, though the differences aren't that easy to articulate. The most tangible thing is that on the Sutton Scotney tree the sepals are often deep red and the scales of the leaf-buds are bright red, both features that you can find on 'Kanzan' when the blossom is fresh, but never on 'Shirofugen' where the colours of both are bronzy. Besides that, I'd venture that the outer petals of the fresh Sutton Scotney blossom are a more purplish shade of pink while on 'Shirofugen' they are more flesh-pink or wine-pink; and overall the blossom on the Sutton Scotney tree is a little more blowsy and opulent, the sort of thing Collingwood Ingram probably wouldn't have approved of.  

And there I'll have to leave it, hoping that some cherry-blossom aficionado will come by and tell me what's going on. 

Late blossom on Prunus 'Shirofugen'. Beanacre, 11 May 2023.