Ornamental cherries (Prunus sp.) have long been an important part of the Arboretum and are an especially vibrant feature of Azalea Way. It is not surprising that “Ornamental Cherries” was one of the first additions to the Arboretum Library in 1948, shortly after it was published.
This book continues to have important relevance today. The author, Collingwood Ingram, was such a noted authority on these trees that he became known as “Cherry” Ingram. His focus was on the selections in Japan that had become endangered in their home country, especially through industrialization.
Ingram brought more than 50 varieties of cherries back to his home in Sussex, England; planting them amongst companion trees while learning techniques for successful propagation. This allowed him to revive some varieties that likely would have been lost, even reintroducing them to Japan. In his writing, he also discusses companion planting, threats from diseases and insects, and shares his experience at creating bonsai specimens.
While the focus is on varieties selected for their ornamental value, Ingram also reviews the wild species and their forms, but does not address selections grown for their edible fruit. He did his own illustrations, and the author’s love of these trees is clear throughout. In response to questions about the short duration of the flowers, he writes, “the trees are so lovely during that period that if they remained in flower for only one day, or even one hour, they would still be worth growing.”
Reviewed by: Brian Thompson on February 24, 2025
Excerpted from the Spring 2025 issue of the Arboretum Bulletin