In the springtime in Western North Carolina many trees and shrubs can be found blooming in forests and fields and along roadsides. One of the prettiest is the weeping Japanese cherry. These trees are not native but have naturalized locally. This means they have escaped cultivation.

Prunus subhirtella  also known as the the weeping Higan cherry, has been cultivated for centuries by Japanese gardeners. Since the advent of European colonization over the last two hundred years, the weeping Higan cherry has been transported globally as an ornamental tree.

Weeping cherries are fairly hardy meaning they are able to survive winters in the mid-latitudes. As is often the case with exotic plants, the weeping Higan cherry tree has escaped landscape and garden cultivation. This means they can be found growing wild in forests, fields and roadsides. In some states the tree is considered an invasive species.

Locally, the tree is not considered to be invasive. Invasive means an exotic plant has escaped cultivation and is negatively impacting native environments. Weeping cherries have not been harmful to local ecosystems so far as we know. So, enjoy their festive spring floral displays.