''Prunus campanulata'' is a species of

cherry A cherry is the fruit of many plants of the genus ''Prunus'', and is a fleshy drupe (stone fruit). Commercial cherries are obtained from cultivars of several species, such as the sweet '' Prunus avium'' and the sour '' Prunus cerasus''. The na ...

native to Japan, Taiwan, southern and eastern China (Guangxi, Guangdong, Hainan, Hunan, Fujian, and Zhejiang), and Vietnam. It is a large shrub or small tree, growing tall. It is widely grown as an

ornamental tree Ornamental plants or ''garden plants'' are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars th ...

, and a symbol of

Nago is a city located in the northern part of Okinawa Island, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. As of December 2012, the city has an estimated population of 61,659 and a population density of 293 persons per km2. Its total area is 210.30 km2. Geo ...

in the

Ryukyu Islands The , also known as the or the , are a chain of Japanese islands that stretch southwest from Kyushu to Geography of Taiwan, Taiwan: the Ryukyu Islands are divided into the Satsunan Islands (Ōsumi Islands, Ōsumi, Tokara Islands, Tokara and A ...

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

. It is variously known in English as the Taiwan cherry, Formosan cherry, or bellflower cherry. It was described in 1883 by Carl Johann Maximowicz.

Invasive species

The tree is an invasive plant species in the

Northland Region Northland (), officially the Northland Region, is the northernmost of New Zealand's 16 regions of New Zealand, local government regions. New Zealanders sometimes refer to it as the Winterless North because of its mild climate all throughout t ...

of New Zealand. It is illegal to distribute, sell or propagate the plant or to distribute soil, gravel, etc., that contain the seeds or other parts of the plant.

Ecological interactions

''Prunus campanulata'' is the host of larval '' Chrysozephyrus nishikaze'', a butterfly species

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

to Taiwan. Flowers and nectar of ''Prunus campanulata'' are among the main food sources of Taiwan yuhinas during their breeding season.

Reproduction

''Prunus campanulata'' is one of the many cherry blossom trees that blooms early. Their seeds portray a physiological and morphological dormancy that is broken when exposed to cold and warm temperatures before germination. The flower is fertilized by pollinating insects and can begin to flower in 1 to 2 years.

Images

Image:Starr 980529-4272 Prunus campanulata.jpg, ''Prunus campanulata'' foliage Image:Pair of tui in flowering tree.jpg, Two

tūī The tūī (''Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae'') is a medium-sized bird native to New Zealand. It is blue, green, and bronze coloured with a distinctive white throat tuft (poi). It is an endemism, endemic passerine bird of New Zealand, and the on ...

in a flowering ''P. campanulata'' tree File:Prunus campanulata fruitage.jpg, ''Prunus campanulata'' young fruit

References

External links

* campanulata Cherry blossom Plants described in 1883 Flora of Eastern Asia Trees of China Trees of Vietnam Taxa named by Karl Maximovich {{prunus-stub