This early flowering cherry can be seen clothed in delicate blooms along the South Walk.
Discussion about the identity and origin of this cherry dates back to 1917, when the Garden’s then Curator, Richard Lynch, sought to identify it. Lynch recognised it as distinct from Prunus pseudocerasus var. pseudocerasus (Yingtao cherry) of northern China, which has white blooms and is cultivated for its fruits. After much debate this form was subsequently assigned the name P. pseudocerasus var. cantabrigiensis. This is a small tree to 8m in height, which produces clusters of single, pink-tinged blossom in February, and is amongst the first of the cherries to flower.