Pacific Northwest Gardening: Favorite flowering cherry trees?, 1 by kosk0025

kosk0025 wrote:
Hi all,

My yard/gardens have many good trees. However, there is one glaring need: I don't have any flowering Japanese cherry trees in the spring. I am planning to add two, in two island planting spaces in my patio.

So far, I am leaning towards getting two Prunus x yedoensis 'Akebono'. These are the same variety that grace the Portland waterfront, and I love the fluffy pink flowers so much. They bloom in early April. They might get a little too large for the patio area, but I am hoping I can do some clever pruning.

Currently, one island bed is empty---I had a Japanese maple in each bed (Acer palmatum 'Sango-kaku---i.e., red coral bark maple) ]. However, one of the acers succumbed to verticillum---the other might have a mild case, also. I plan to remove the other and replace with Prunus.

Questions: 1) this means my soil is infected with verticillum, so I cannot ever plant another acer in that location......will planting prunus in that soil be safe for the new tree?
2) Your favorite variety of flowering cherry. Pics if you have them. Thank you!!!

Attached is a pic from the internet of the Akebono on the portland waterfront.