Higan cherry

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Higan cherry
• autumn cherry
• rosebud cherry
• spring cherry
• winter flowering cherry

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Cerasus japonica pendula
• Prunus herincquiana var. ascendens
• Prunus herincquiana var. biloba
• Prunus herincquiana f. dependens
• Prunus herincquiana f. erecta
• Prunus herincquiana var. psilogyna
• Prunus miqueliana
• Prunus microlepis
• Prunus microlepis var. smithii
• Prunus aequinoctialis f. aggregata
• Prunus aequinoctialis f. alborubescens
• Prunus pendula f. diffusa
• Prunus microlepis var. ternata
• Prunus aequinoctialis
• Prunus itosakura f. aggregata
• Prunus itosakura f. alborubescens
• Prunus itosakura var. ascendens
• Prunus itosakura var. pendula
• Prunus itosakura var. subsessilis
• Prunus itosakura var. taiwaniana
• Prunus itosakura f. villosa
• Cerasus × subhirtella var. pendula
• Prunus × subhirtella var. ascendens
• Prunus spachiana
• Cerasus itosakura f. ascendens
• Prunus itosakura f. erecta
• Prunus itosakura f. ascendens
• Prunus pendula f. plenorosea
• Cerasus itosakura
• Prunus × subhirtella var. pendula
• Prunus pendula var. ascendens
• Cerasus spachiana
• Cerasus herincquiana
• Cerasus microlepis
• Cerasus pendula floreroseo
• Prunus itosakura subvar. amabilis
• Prunus itosakura f. benihigan
• Cerasus spachiana f. ascendens
• Cerasus × subhirtella f. ascendens
• Prunus itosakura f. plenarosea
• Cerasus × subhirtella var. ascendens
• Prunus spachiana f. rosea
• Prunus itosakura var. rosea
• Cerasus × subhirtella f. rosea
• Prunus itosakura f. roseopetala
• Prunus itosakura f. rotundipetala
• Prunus herincquiana
• Cerasus taiwaniana
• Prunus aequinoctialis var. pendula
• Prunus aequinoctialis f. plenarosea
• Prunus aequinoctialis f. rosea
• Prunus aequinoctialis f. villosula
• Prunus biloba
• Prunus taiwaniana
• Prunus oblongifolia
• Prunus mutabilis f. subsessilis
• Prunus pendula f. ascendens
• Prunus pendula var. itosakura
• Prunus pendula f. microlepis
• Prunus pendula f. pendularosea
• Prunus pendula f. rosea
• Prunus pendula f. roseopetala
• Prunus pendula f. rotundipetala
• Prunus pendula f. subsessilis
• Prunus spachiana f. ascendens
• Prunus × subhirtella f. ascendens
• Prunus × subhirtella f. smithii
• Prunus × subhirtella var. rosea

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Rosales and the family Rosaceae, it is classified under the genus Prunus.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is native to specific regions within the continent of Eastern Asia. Its primary geographical distribution is centered around the islands of Japan. Additionally, the species can be found growing naturally throughout the Korean Peninsula. These two locations represent the core environmental range for the plant's existence. Therefore, its habitat is strictly limited to these particular East Asian territories.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Prunus itosakura is characterized by its classification as a phanerophyte, specifically exhibiting traits consistent with both phanerophyte and nanophanerophyte growth forms. As a perennial woody species, its life cycle is defined by the maintenance of its perennating buds at a significant height above the soil surface, allowing it to withstand seasonal environmental shifts. This phanerophytic strategy ensures long-term survival through multiple growing seasons, with its structural development progressing from juvenile sapling stages to a mature, woody architecture. The plant's life history involves a cyclical pattern of seasonal dormancy and active vegetative and reproductive phases, supported by its robust perennial structure that protects its vital meristematic tissues from climatic extremes.

Life form :

phanerophyte

Morphology

The morphology of Prunus itosakura is characterized by a distinct growth form as a tree, typically reaching moderate heights in suitable habitats. As a terrestrial species, it grows directly in the soil rather than as an epiphyte, establishing a robust root system to support its structure. The plant exhibits a woody constitution, featuring permanent, lignified stems and branches that provide the necessary structural integrity and durability characteristic of its arboreal habit.

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Prunus itosakura is primarily defined by its utilization of the C3 photosynthetic pathway, a characteristic common to most temperate woody perennials. Under this metabolic process, the plant captures atmospheric carbon dioxide through stomatal uptake, where the enzyme RuBisCO facilitates the initial fixation of CO2 into a three-carbon compound, 3-phosphoglycerate, within the mesophyll cells. This C3 mechanism is highly efficient under the moderate temperatures and moist environments typical of its natural habitat, allowing for steady biomass accumulation and the production of complex carbohydrates required for seasonal growth and flowering. The metabolic regulation of this pathway is closely tied to the plant's phenological cycles, where transpiration rates and gas exchange are modulated by seasonal temperature shifts and light availability to optimize energy conversion and maintain cellular homeostasis.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Prunus itosakura has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf.

Leaf

1. Medical mycology journal

Chemicals

Prunus itosakura has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include cyanide, genistein.

cyanide

1. Medical mycology journal

genistein

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Prunus itosakura has 72 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Abortifacient, Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor, Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor, Antiaggregant, Antiangiogenic.

Abortifacient

1. Dr. Duke

Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Antiaggregant

1. Dr. Duke

Antiangiogenic

1. Dr. Duke

Antiatherosclerotic

1. Dr. Duke

Anticancer (Breast)

1. Dr. Duke

Anticarcinomic (Breast)

1. Dr. Duke

Anticlimacteric

1. Dr. Duke

Antiendoccytotic

1. Dr. Duke

Preparations

Prunus itosakura has 1 reported preparations identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include fresh hydrosols.

Fresh hydrosols

1. Medical mycology journal