Cherry plum vs Japanese flowering cherry 'Kanzan'

Cherry plum and Japanese flowering cherry 'Kanzan' are often considered for the same spot in the garden (specimen, flowers). The data below shows where they differ: size, hardiness, care, toxicity and price.

Cherry plum

Prunus cerasifera 4.5 m × 3.5 m after 10 years

In gardens it is grown almost only in its purple-leaved forms: a small ornamental tree with a rounded crown that is covered in pale pink, scented…

Small tree

Full sun

Part shade

Japanese flowering cherry 'Kanzan'

Prunus serrulata 'Kanzan' 5 m × 4 m after 10 years

The best known Japanese flowering cherry: in late April and early May it is covered in fully double, vivid pink blossom, on a crown that is…

Small tree

Full sun

Key differences

Cherry plum is hardier: down to -29 °C, against -23 °C for Japanese flowering cherry 'Kanzan'.

Which one to choose?

Cherry plum is the better choice if the garden is cold or a frost pocket.

Watch out for

Cherry plum

It is a short-lived tree with brittle wood, and it shares the diseases of stone fruit: brown rot (Monilia) causes shoot dieback after flowering and fruit rot, and shot-hole disease, powdery mildew and gumming are common. Cut infected, withered twigs back to healthy wood and clear away fallen diseased leaves. Aphids and winter moth caterpillars attack it regularly. The bark of young trees can split in cold, sunny winters, so protecting the trunk in the first years is worthwhile.

Japanese flowering cherry 'Kanzan'

Prone to the usual flowering cherry troubles: blossom wilt, leaf spot, bacterial canker with gumming, silver leaf, plus aphids and scale. Infections enter through wounds, so prune only when necessary and then in dry summer weather. A short-lived tree that often declines after 15 to 25 years.

The data side by side

Feature	Cherry plum	Japanese flowering cherry 'Kanzan'
Group	Small tree	Small tree
Size after 10 years	4.5 m × 3.5 m (uncertain)	5 m × 4 m (uncertain)
Ultimate size	5–9 m × 3–7.5 m	7–12 m × 8–10 m
Growth rate	Medium	Medium
Light	Full sun, Part shade	Full sun
Soil	Average garden soil, Clay, Sandy, Calcareous, Acidic	Average garden soil, Clay, Sandy, Calcareous, Acidic
Hardiness	down to -29 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)	down to -23 °C (USDA 6, RHS H7)
Heat tolerance	High	no data
Foliage	Deciduous	Deciduous
Flowering	March–April, pink, white	April–May, pink
Water need	Medium	Medium
Drought tolerance	Medium	Medium
Maintenance	Medium	Medium
Planting distance	500 cm	600 cm
For dogs	Toxic (uncertain)	Toxic
For cats	Toxic (uncertain)	Toxic
For children	Mildly toxic	Mildly toxic (uncertain)

Prices are rounded, indicative values. Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor. Data updated: October 17, 2026

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