‘Akebono’ (daybreak cherry). A medium sized tree growing 8 m × 8 m (25 ft) with a stiff, upright-spreading crown, eventually becoming umbrella shaped. ‘Akebono’ flowers in late March or early April, usually following the purple-leaf plums by about a week. Flowers are produced abundantly, shell-pink fading to nearly white. ‘Akebono’ is a seedling of Prunus yedoensis ‘Somei-yoshino‘(Tokyo cherry) selected in 1925 at a California nursery. ‘Akebono’ is by far the most commonly planted early spring flowering cherry in this area, and is celebrated for its essentially rainproof flowers and freedom from disease. Autumn colour is yellow to pumpkin orange.
