With their beautiful pink blooms, cherry blossom trees are a popular tourist attraction. If you want to care for one yourself, you may need to purchase a seed or a sapling first. But how much does this cost? After doing some research, we have an answer for you.
A pack of cherry blossom seeds may cost $6 to $20. Cherry blossom saplings can cost at least $100 and are easier to establish. These prices do not include shipping or handling fees. Also, you will need to factor in the costs that caring for your tree entails.
Caring for any tree can be relatively inexpensive, but it may incur some regular costs. How much you spend on your cherry tree depends on your experience as a gardener and what tools you will need. We'll detail these costs in the next sections, so read on!
How Much Do Cherry Blossom Trees Cost?
The costs of planting a cherry blossom tree can be as low as $39, depending on your dealer. You may also find trees that cost around $100.
While it's more expensive, planting trees from a sapling is the preferred option. Saplings are easier to establish, and you do not have to wait as long for results as you would with seeds.
Depending on your source, you will also pay for shipping. You should factor in shipping and handling expenses in your budget for purchasing cherry blossom trees.
If you are lucky, you might have a dealer nearby or even someone willing to give you the tree for no charge!
Where To Buy A Cherry Blossom Tree
Cherry blossom seeds and saplings for growing are easy to find. You can find them in your local plant shop or anywhere that sells saplings.
For instance, some Home Depots carry cherry blossom tree saplings. If you cannot find them in your immediate area, you can buy them online.
You should purchase your tree from a reputable nursery. Certified shops are less likely to scam you.
Ordering from Amazon can be tricky, especially when purchasing seeds, as some may not grow. Do not be swayed by prices that are lower than the average. You do not want to risk purchasing the wrong tree or ending up with a poor-quality tree.
Instead, invest in good quality seeds or saplings that give you a better chance to successfully grow your cherry blossom tree.
Once you have your seeds or sapling, you need to transplant the tree to the desired location. You can either do this yourself or hire an arborist. The latter will cost between $50 to $150 on an hourly rate, which can vary from person to person.
How Much Does It Cost To Care For A Cherry Blossom Tree?
When caring for trees, you must consider their nutrition, maintenance, and pruning. Here is a breakdown of the costs for each category.
Nutritional Costs
Costs on nutrition can involve water bills, money spent on soil, plant food, and pesticides or horticultural oils, and more. These are necessities for plants, but you can modify them as you see fit.
The lowest cost for basic tree care is $0 if you have a free water source, rich soil, and some compost. However, not everyone has access to self-sustaining or free resources. In this case, spending is inevitable.
The average American household spends around $45 a month on water, equivalent to 82 gallons of water a day. Knowing this amount can help you estimate how much cost to expect with watering.
Young trees need 30 minutes of watering once a week. This can be reduced to two to three times a week once the tree is established. You can avoid raising your water bill by using recycled water, including rainwater, bath water, and kitchen water.
When it comes to soil, cherry blossom trees are not picky, and you don't have to buy special soil. Still, to give you an idea, loam soil can cost between $17 and $50 per cubic yard. For fertilizer, you can get 12 plant food spikes for approximately $11 to $15.
Click here to see these tree spikes on Amazon.
Finally, pesticides and horticultural oils can cost you at least $9. The price will go up depending on the type, brand, and packaging of the product.
Click here to see this horticultural oil on Amazon.
Maintenance And Pruning
Cherry blossom trees have to be pruned once a year. Pruning helps encourage new growth in trees, contributing to their good health.
You can prune cherry blossom trees yourself or hire someone to do it. This may cost $75, which can go up to thousands of dollars.
If you're planning to prune the trees on your own, ensure you have the necessary equipment and expertise.
Equipment, in particular, can be pricey if you do not already have it on hand. If you are not confident in your pruning skills, you should have someone help you so that you don't risk the safety of yourself and your tree.
Cherry blossom trees can come in varied forms, including the weeping cherry tree and the bonsai. These require different pruning practices to maintain shape and health.
How Fast Do Cherry Blossom Trees Grow?
A cherry blossom tree has a medium growth rate, so it can take at least 1o years to mature. Once it starts flowering, the growth rate will be one to two feet annually. The tree has a lifespan of 30 to 40 years at the most.
Cherry blossom trees are relatively low-maintenance. Chances are you will only be spending a little on them, especially with good upkeep.
These trees thrive in USDA hardiness zones 5 through 8. They grow in regions of the Northern Hemisphere and are popularly attributed to Japan.
The first cherry blossom trees arrived in the US in 1912. Their introduction has been a success. Nowadays, you can grow your cherry blossom trees!
Do Cherry Blossom Trees Grow Fruit?
When cherry blossom trees bloom, you may notice them bearing fruit. While the fruit is edible, it doesn't taste good, so it's best to leave it alone. Otherwise, you can try harvesting the ripe fruit for cherry blossom seeds!
Do not confuse the cherry blossom tree with the common cherry tree. The former is known for the pink flowers that cover the whole tree.
Cherry blossom trees were bred for this trait, so the fruit did not develop to be tasty. Common cherry trees have green foliage and grow bright red cherries.
While the fruit of cherry blossom trees does not taste good, they still benefit other creatures. Birds can eat the fruit and contribute to the spread of cherry trees in the area. The cherry blossoms themselves are edible and are used in Japanese delicacies.
Before you eat cherry blossoms, make sure they are clean. Eating flowers that may be contaminated with pesticides, oil, or dirt is not a good idea.
You should wash the blossoms thoroughly before consumption. If possible, avoid adding any chemicals to the flowers.
How Valuable Are Cherry Blossom Trees?
Because of how aesthetically pleasing they are, cherry blossom trees are an asset. They are great for tourism, which adds to their value.
Millions of people travel every year in April to view cherry blossoms during the blooming season. This makes up for the fact that the fruit is not bred for human consumption.
Having trees on your property also increases its value. If you have healthy cherry blossom trees in your yard, you are looking at a 7% increase in residential property price. This makes them a good investment for homeowners.
Due to their short lifespans, cherry blossom trees may not be as valuable as hardier trees like oak or maple. Nevertheless, they are still good to have in your yard. You may even opt to plant new ones now and then!
Wrapping Things Up
Cherry blossom trees can cost you between zero and thousands of dollars. The costs depend on where you source your tree and how you care for it.
Saplings are typically in the $100 range, while seeds are significantly cheaper. These trees are low-maintenance and can live for 30 to 40 years.
You will not have to spend more on a cherry blossom tree than you do on any other tree in your yard. The tree is usually a good investment and worth every penny spent.
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