Both cherry trees and cherry blossoms are absolutely stunning. If you’re looking for great trees to put in your yard, either option is going to work out nicely.
Perhaps you’re torn between these two trees. You might be wondering what the differences between them are.
Many people have a hard time with the differences between cherry trees and cherry blossoms. You could think that they’re practically the same, but there are important differences that make them quite distinct.
Read on to learn about both cherry trees and cherry blossoms. Once you’ve read all of the information, it’ll be easier to decide which option is right for your yard.
Cherry Blossoms Are Ornamental
The biggest difference between cherry blossoms and cherry trees involves what they’re used for. Cherry blossoms are ornamental trees that focus on flowering and looking beautiful.
Cherry trees are going to produce fruit and that is the main purpose of those trees. They will also look very attractive in your yard, but they aren’t going to produce the same bold and gorgeous flowers that cherry blossoms do.
So the reasons why these trees are grown are different. You might be interested in a cherry tree specifically so you can harvest its fruit.
Cherry blossoms are planted purely for aesthetic purposes. You’re going to make your yard look more gorgeous than ever if you choose to plant a cherry blossom.
There Are Many Varieties of Both Trees
You’ll also find that there are many varieties of both trees. There isn’t just one type of cherry blossom and one type of cherry tree.
You’re able to purchase dwarf varieties of the trees that don’t grow to be as tall. There are trees that have been hybridized with different species or varieties.
This is done to produce trees that look and grow a certain way. When you’re looking into which trees to get, you’ll have many options to contemplate.
It isn’t actually as simple as picking whether you want a cherry blossom or a cherry tree. You’ll also need to consider which type of cherry tree and which type of cherry blossom will be appealing to you.
The Beautiful Blooms of Cherry Blossoms
The beautiful blooms of cherry blossoms will truly impress in your yard. These trees produce large flowers that are also quite dense.
Even if some cherry trees will also produce flowers, they won’t come close to matching the flowers of a cherry blossom. A cherry tree will regularly produce flowers that have five petals, but cherry blossoms can produce flowers with hundreds of petals per flower.
It’s easy to see how much bolder and more impressive the blooms are on cherry blossoms. You should also know that cherry blossoms bloom longer than cherry trees.
You’ll be able to enjoy the blooming cherry blossoms for two weeks. If you’re interested in the beauty of the flowers, it’s a great idea to go with a cherry blossom.
The Fruit of the Cherry Trees
Being able to harvest fresh fruit from your own cherry trees will have a unique appeal. You might love caring for the cherry tree and harvesting fruit that you can use in baking.
Some cherry blossoms can also produce fruit, but the fruit produced by a cherry blossom won’t be fit for humans to consume. Birds might eat these fruits, but they’re so sour that you’d never want to try one.
Cherry trees can produce various types of cherries depending on the variety that you’ve planted. Some fruits are larger and have different colors.
You’ll be able to find fruit trees that suit your specific tastes. It might be best to plant a cherry tree that produces your favorite types of cherries so you can utilize them in homemade baked goods when the time is right.
Cherry Trees Need Ample Sunlight
Another thing to consider is how much sunlight the trees need. Cherry trees need ample sunlight to be able to grow and thrive in your yard.
A fruiting cherry tree requires seven or eight hours of direct sunlight each day. If it gets less sunlight than this it’s not going to do well on your property.
Enthusiasts recommend planting cherry trees in a spot where they will receive ten hours of sunlight per day. This helps the fruit to turn out juicier and it will be better than normal.
The reason these trees need so much sunlight is that producing fruit takes a lot of energy. All of the energy goes toward producing the fruit.
In contrast, a cherry blossom is only going to need six hours of direct sunlight. Depending on your situation, it might be more practical to keep a cherry blossom on your property.
Cherry Trees Are Harder to Care For
Someone who doesn’t have a lot of experience caring for trees will have a tougher time caring for a cherry tree. This mostly comes down to having to deal with pests and tree diseases.
Fruit trees are far more likely to encounter these issues than ornamental trees such as cherry blossoms. Caterpillars and other pests can be hugely problematic when you’re caring for cherry trees on your property.
It’s tough because you can’t use normal pesticides to protect the trees because this would prevent bees from being able to pollinate the trees properly. Pesticide could also poison your crop.
You need to protect the tree from birds, too. Often, people will use bird netting to try to keep birds away from fruit trees.
Disease can be a problem, but there are disease-resistant varieties that you can buy that are easier to manage. Just know that cherry trees are more trying to care for than cherry blossoms.
Cherry Blossoms Have Greater Longevity
Cherry blossoms are known for having greater longevity than cherry trees. If you’d like the trees that you plant to live for as long as possible, it’s best to go with cherry blossoms.
It’s possible for cherry blossoms to live for thirty or forty years so long as you’re caring for them well. There are cherry blossoms that have lived much longer than this, but thirty to forty years is the average lifespan of cherry blossoms.
Cherry trees live a lot less time than this. Sweet cherry trees generally have lifespans that last ten or fifteen years.
Sour cherry trees last a bit longer and are known to survive for twenty five years. As you’d expect, you’ll need to care for the tree properly to ensure it reaches its average lifespan.
One caveat is that cherry trees that are grown by seed live longer than those that are grafted. The problem is that most cherry trees that you purchase are grafted because this is the common way that they’re propagated.
Final Thoughts
You should feel like you know much more about the differences between cherry blossoms and cherry trees now. Both types of trees are beautiful, but one is more focused on producing flowers while another produces better fruit.
Depending on what you want, it might be better to buy one tree over the other. If aesthetic appeal is what you care about, cherry blossoms will be a great fit.
Cherry trees are excellent for those who want to be able to harvest fruit each year. They can be more challenging to care for, though.
Keep all of this in mind and make your final decision. You’re going to love the way either of these gorgeous trees will look in your yard, but it’s imperative to make the right decision for your home.
Ben has a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering. When not constructing or remodeling X-Ray Rooms, Cardiovascular Labs, and Pharmacies, you can find him at home with wife and two daughters. Outside of family, He loves grilling and barbequing on his Big Green Egg and Blackstone Griddle, as well as working on projects around the house.
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