White Weeping Cherry Tree for Sale - Buying & Growing Guide

Planting and Care

by Mary Van Keuren | Gardener (30+ Years Experience) – last update on June 1, 2022

Planting instructions

Although these trees are not picky, they will grow best in slightly acidic soil that is moist and well-drained, in a spot that receives at least six hours of sunlight a day. Unpot your sapling and tease out any encircling roots, which can girdle the tree and slowly kill it. Dig a hole that’s as deep as the root ball and twice as wide. Mound up a small amount of soil in the hole and place the tree on it, splaying out the roots as much as possible. Fill in around the roots with good-quality topsoil, tamping down as you go to eliminate air pockets. Water thoroughly. Apply a 2- to 3-inch layer of an organic mulch, such as bark chips, around the root zone to conserve moisture and hinder weeds.

Watering and nutrients

A mature tree needs about an inch of water a week. If you don’t get this from rain, give the tree a good soaking — but not so much water that puddles form near the trunk. Water more heavily if you’re experiencing drought-like conditions or a heat wave. In winter, you can taper back your watering. Fertilize your tree with a high nitrogen fertilizer to encourage blooming, roughly a tenth of a pound for each year of the tree’s age. Apply in spring, before bud break.

Pollination

White weeping cherry trees are pollinated by honeybees. The trees are self-fertile, but produce more fruit if there is more than one tree. Unfortunately, that fruit — small black berries — is inedible. Weeping cherry trees do not produce edible cherries like regular fruiting cherry trees.

Pruning

Your white weeping cherry tree needs less pruning than a regular cherry tree. You should monitor your tree for dead, broken, or diseased branches and remove them whenever you see them. You can also trim back the weeping branches — they should be kept at least 6 inches from the ground to avoid fungal infections. You can do light trimming to improve the shape of the canopy while the tree is still small, but this is optional.

Pests and diseases

Common pests of the weeping cherry tree include aphids, Japanese beetles, and spider mites. Some of these can be dealt with by releasing beneficial insects such as ladybugs, which feed on aphids. Insecticides will also help, as a last resort. Diseases that may occur include Cytospora cankers and Verticillium wilt, both of which are fungal in nature. If you see signs of infection, cut out the infected branches, sterilizing clippers between cuts. Keep the area around the base of the tree free from debris, and consider using a fungicide if the infection seems severe.

Achieving maximum results

Placing your white weeping cherry tree in the appropriate spot is important. You want it in full sun, with fertile soil that drains well and doesn’t allow the tree to stand in water following a rainstorm. But you also want to consider the aesthetics of this tree, which cannot be put in the background. Your weeping cherry will always be the center of attention, especially when in bloom, so consider placing it in a high point on your property or in a spot that is highly visible from the road. It can handle standing on its own, but a grouping of three would be spectacular in spring. It’s also a worthy tree to consider for Asian-inspired gardens or as a loose privacy hedge along the border of your property. Wherever you place it, know that it will be at the center of attention for much of the year, so plan accordingly.

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Customer Reviews

Anonymous

Verified Buyer June 24, 2021 at 5:20am

I love this tree. It was my first choice

I love this tree, however I didn't have much luck with it. It died on me. However I would love to try it again.