''Prunus himalaica'' is a species of

cherry A cherry is the fruit of many plants of the genus ''Prunus'', and is a fleshy drupe (stone fruit). Commercial cherries are obtained from cultivars of several species, such as the sweet ''Prunus avium'' and the sour ''Prunus cerasus''. The nam ...

native to Nepal. It is used as an ornamental elsewhere for its attractive shiny mahogany-brown bark. It prefers to grow at about 3,900m above sea level in the Himalayas.

Description

''Prunus himalaica'' is a small deciduous tree or shrub reaching a height of at most 5.5m. The smooth bark is a shiny brown, with prominent horizontal

lenticel A lenticel is a porous tissue consisting of cells with large intercellular spaces in the periderm of the secondarily thickened organs and the bark of woody stems and roots of dicotyledonous flowering plants. It functions as a pore, providing a ...

s, similar to the coppery-red bark of the Tibetan cherry, ''

Prunus serrula ''Prunus serrula'', called birch bark cherry, birchbark cherry, paperbark cherry, or Tibetan cherry, is a species of cherry native to China, and is used as an ornamental in many parts of the world for its striking coppery-red bark. Description ...

'', and similar to but darker than the brown bark of ''

Prunus rufa ''Prunus rufa'', called Himalayan cherry, is a species of cherry native to Nepal and Burma. It is used as an ornamental elsewhere for its striking shiny brown bark. It has been found growing at above sea level in the Himalayas. Description ''P ...

''. Its younger branches are more purple in color, with brownish-red pubescent coats. The leaves are 4 to 5cm wide and 6 to 8cm long, elliptic in shape, with their upper surfaces bright green and with some minute hairs, while the undersides are pale green with abundant brown hairs on the veins, including the 9 to 13 secondary veins. Leaves have biserrate margins, with caudate to acuminate apices and rounded bases, mounted on a 1cm pubescent petiole. ''P. himalaica'' inflorescences are umbellate with one or two flowers attached by 3.5 to 4.5cm pubescent pedicels. The glabrous hypanthia are about 1cm long, and the ovate and glandular-serrate 0.4cm sepals are often reflexed. Petals are a pale pink. Each flower has about 45 stamens.

As an ornamental

All ''Prunus himalaica'' grown as ornamentals outside their native range descend from a single individual obtained in 1965 from the

Langtang Langtang valley is a Himalayan valley in the mountains of north-central Nepal, known for its trekking routes and natural environment. Administrative The Langtang valley lies in the Rasuwa district of the Bagmati Province in Nepal. Situat ...

Valley in Nepal by Tony Schilling.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q17235601 himalaica Cherries Flora of East Himalaya Endemic flora of Nepal Ornamental trees Plants described in 1954