Which Cherry Tree Is Right for Your Garden? Our Range, Explained

Cherries remain one of the most popular trees we grow at our nursery, and right now we have plenty in stock. Planting this autumn gives your tree the best possible start — settled roots through winter dormancy means your cherry arrives at spring ready to flower. Below, we walk through every variety in our current range and where each one fits best.

Wild Cherry (Prunus avium): The Native All-Rounder

If space is not a constraint, our native wild cherry is the one to plant. It is the ancestor of most cultivated cherries and carries the highest wildlife value in the range. Prolific single white blossom in April feeds bees and early pollinators when food is scarce. Bitter cherries follow in late summer — taken immediately by birds and small mammals. Orange-red autumn foliage and shiny reddish-brown banded bark give genuine year-round interest. Mature height up to 18m, so give it room.

Best for: large gardens, rural plots, boundary planting, biodiversity-first schemes. Available in small and large sizes.

Bird Cherry (Prunus padus): The Woodland Edge Native

Often overlooked in favour of its more famous cousin, Bird Cherry is a beautiful and versatile native that earns its place in any naturalistic planting. Fragrant white flowers appear in long, pendulous clusters (racemes) in May — slightly later than Wild Cherry, which extends the blossom season. Bitter black cherries follow in late summer, highly valued by birds. It thrives in wetter soils and shadier positions where other cherries struggle, making it a strong choice for damper spots or woodland edges.

Best for: wildlife gardens, wetter or shadier sites, naturalistic schemes. Browse Bird Cherry here.

Flagpole Cherry (Prunus ‘Amanogawa’): The Space-Saver

The answer to small urban gardens and narrow borders. ‘Amanogawa’ grows strictly upright and columnar — reaching around 6m tall but only 2-3m wide. The branches are held vertically, creating a slim architectural silhouette that suits driveways, front gardens and tight spaces beside boundaries. Semi-double pale pink blossom smothers the branches in late spring and carries a faint sweet scent. Bronze young foliage in spring turns fresh green through summer and fiery orange-red in autumn. Holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit.

Best for: small gardens, narrow borders, driveway planting, courtyard schemes. See Amanogawa here.

Tibetan Cherry (Prunus serrula): Grown for Its Bark

This one is chosen for the bark, not the blossom. Prunus serrula produces the most striking winter stem of any tree we grow — a deep copper-red, polished and peeling in horizontal strips, catching the low winter light in a way that stops people in their tracks. Small white flowers appear in spring as the leaves emerge, followed by small red cherries taken by birds. Growing to around 6–9m, it suits medium to large gardens where you want four-season structure, not just a spring display.

Best for: feature or specimen planting, winter garden interest, gardens that need year-round structure. See Tibetan Cherry here.

Shirotae Cherry (Prunus ‘Shirotae’): Pure White, Flat Crown

‘Shirotae’ has one of the most distinctive silhouettes of the ornamental cherries — a strongly horizontal, spreading crown with slightly arching branches that dip close to the ground at maturity. In mid to late spring it covers itself in large, semi-double pure white flowers with a faint almond fragrance. The pale green young leaves emerge with the blossom, creating a soft, layered effect. Growing to 4–6m tall and spreading wider, it makes a commanding lawn specimen or garden centrepiece. RHS Award of Garden Merit.

Best for: medium to large gardens, lawn specimens, ornamental schemes where a wide, low canopy is wanted. See Shirotae here.

Blushing Bride Cherry (Prunus ‘Shōgetsu’): Late-Season Elegance

‘Blushing Bride’ extends the cherry season later than most. Its large, semi-double flowers open blush pink in bud and gradually fade to pure white as they mature, hanging in generous clusters along the spreading branches in late spring. The gently arching, airy canopy gives it a graceful, architectural presence — well suited as a feature tree on a lawn, in a border or on a patio. Growing to 4–6m tall with a spread of 5–7m, it fits small to medium gardens with room for a spreading canopy. Mid-green summer foliage turns orange-red in autumn.

Best for: small to medium gardens, feature planting, ornamental or Japanese-inspired schemes, late spring colour. See Blushing Bride here.

Shizuka Cherry (Prunus ‘Shizuka’): Quiet Elegance

‘Shizuka’ — the name translates from Japanese as quiet or calm — and the tree lives up to it. It produces soft, double white blossom with a gentle pink blush in mid-spring on a graceful, medium-sized spreading tree. The overall effect is refined rather than showy, making it a natural choice for gardens where you want blossom without spectacle. Good autumn colour follows in the season.

Best for: medium gardens, understated planting schemes, anyone who wants white blossom on a manageable, well-shaped tree. Browse our full cherry range here.

Plant This Autumn, Enjoy It Next Spring

All our cherries are container-grown in peat-free compost with harvested rainwater, which means flexible planting in any season. Autumn remains the ideal window — soil holds warmth and moisture, roots establish through dormancy, and the tree arrives at spring settled and ready to perform.

Every tree comes with a UK plant passport, grown here at our Oxfordshire woodland nursery. We deliver across the Cotswolds and beyond, and we are happy to send photographs of the specific trees in stock if you want to see what you are getting before you order.

Browse the full range on our cherry tree page, or get in touch and we will help you choose the right one for your space.