Prunus jamasakura
Japanese mountain cherry
Prunus jamasakura, commonly known as the Japanese cherry blossom, is a celebrated ornamental tree with profound medicinal significance. Beyond its aesthetic beauty, its blossoms and bark contain bioactive compounds like polyphenols and flavonoids, which offer potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and skin-protective properties, making it a valuable subject in herbal pharmacology.
- Scientific name: Prunus jamasakura
- Family: Rosaceae
- Native range: Asia-Temperate
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. As a member of the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Rosales, it is further categorized into the family Rosaceae. Finally, its taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Prunus.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Rosales | WCVP |
| Family | Rosaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Prunus | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Prunus jamasakura, is referred to by various common names depending on the language. In Japanese, it is called ヤマザクラ, while in Korean, it is known as 벚나무. In Chinese, the plant is identified as 红山樱, a name that is consistently used across different regional variations including zh-hans and zh-cn.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| ja | ヤマザクラ | Wikidata |
| ko | 벚나무 | Wikidata |
| zh | 红山樱 | Wikidata |
| zh-hans | 红山樱 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 红山樱 | Wikidata |
| en | Japanese Mountain Cherry | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant is primarily distributed across the diverse landscapes of Eastern Asia. Its natural habitat is most notably concentrated within the islands of Japan. Additionally, the species can be found throughout the Nansei-shotō archipelago. These specific regions provide the ideal environmental conditions necessary for its growth. Consequently, the geographical range of Prunus jamasakura remains focused within these East Asian territories.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Asia | Japan | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Nansei-shoto | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, known scientifically as Prunus jamasakura, utilizes various components for its medicinal and traditional properties, with a particular focus on its bark. The bark of the tree is often harvested to extract specific compounds that contribute to its therapeutic potential. While the blossoms are frequently celebrated for their aesthetic and culinary uses, the bark serves as a vital structural and chemical reservoir that has been studied for its bioactive constituents.- Total parts
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| bark | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Prunus jamasakura has 5 reported phytochemicals identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include arctigenin, genistein, genkwanin, naringenin, sakuranetin.
- Total chemicals
- 5
- Scientific sources
- 5
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| arctigenin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| genistein | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| genkwanin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| naringenin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| sakuranetin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Prunus jamasakura has 1 reported medicinal uses identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Osteoporosis.
- Total uses
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Osteoporosis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |