Prunus avium – Sweet Cherry / Cherry Blossom (میٹھا چیری درخت)

Prunus avium – Sweet Cherry / Cherry Blossom (میٹھا چیری درخت)

– Ornamental blossoms followed by edible cherries, – Early spring flowering tree with elegant form, – Rare but growable in specific cooler areas of Pakistan

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🌿 Botanical Name: Prunus avium (PROO-nus AY-vee-um)

🌿 Family: Rosaceae (roh-ZAY-see-ee)

🧊 Hardiness Zone (USA): 5–8

📏 Height: 30 to 50 feet as a mature tree; upright to rounded canopy

🍃 Foliage:

Deciduous; broad, serrated green leaves that turn orange, red, or gold in autumn; new leaves appear just after flowering in spring

🌸 Flowering Period (Lahore/Punjab):

March – profuse white to pale pink blossoms appear in early spring before foliage; lasts 1–2 weeks; a major visual highlight in temperate hill stations like Murree and Swat

🌼 Companion Plants:

• Malus floribunda (Crabapple) – for multi-colored flowering trees

• Cercis siliquastrum – purple-pink blooms in similar spring window

• Forsythia – yellow spring shrub to contrast white cherry blossoms

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  Fruition photos are from Chitral- May 2025

  
  

🏡 Garden Usage:

Ideal for parks, large lawns, avenues, or as a feature tree in cool-climate gardens; appreciated for both blossoms and edible fruit in colder zones

🍈 Fruition:

Produces clusters of small, round, glossy red to dark red edible cherries by May–June; fruits are sweet, juicy, and attract birds and children alike

🌱 Soil:

Prefers deep, well-drained loamy or sandy soil; sensitive to waterlogging and heavy clay

⚖️ pH Value: 6.0 to 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

💧 Water:

Moderate; requires regular watering especially in summer during fruit development; avoid standing water

🌡️ Temperature:

Not ideal for Lahore’s climate—requires winter chill (below 7°C for 700+ hours) for proper dormancy and fruiting

✅ Best grown in northern hill regions like Murree, Swat, Abbottabad, and Kashmir

🚫 In Lahore, flowering may occur, but fruiting is unreliable due to lack of chilling hours

Photos of Fruit - Chitral- May 2025

☀️ Location Preference (sun or shade): Full sun required for good flowering and fruiting

🌾 Propagation: Usually grafted onto compatible rootstocks for orchard planting. Can also be grown from seed, but seedlings are slow, unpredictable, and not true to type. Cold stratification (chilling) required for seed germination over 2–3 months

🐛 Pesticides:

Susceptible to aphids, leaf spot, cherry fruit flies, and bacterial canker; spray neem oil, copper fungicide, or insecticidal soap as needed

🌻 Fertilizers: Apply a balanced fertilizer in early spring; avoid high nitrogen after flowering to reduce excessive leafy growth

🦋 Attractiveness to Wildlife:

Flowers attract bees and early pollinators; fruits loved by birds

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💡 Tip:

Cherry blossoms are a springtime dream—but in Lahore, they're better appreciated in cool pots for ornamental use or planted in containers that can be shifted during winter. For fruiting success, stick to northern hills.

🌼 May you enjoy seeing, planting, or dreaming of this Sweet Cherry Tree (میٹھا چیری درخت) as it showers blossoms or bears fruit in your garden or your travels.

Bougainvillea spectabilis- Bougainvillea glabra - Pink bougainvillea-

    Named after French admiral, who sailed world 1766- 1769- Loius de Bougainvillea. It has sharp thorns on branches and grows aggressively. It can bear low temperatures- minus 2- 5 centigrades. but ideal in winters is 7-10 degrees. Frequently requires fertilisers-  low in nitrogen 6-6-6 or 8-8-8. Blooming fertiliser - 2-10-10. Bloom period spring through fall. Flower is edible. Many colors single and dual. Needs dry soil, very bright full sun, little water when established. Flourishes in slightly acidic soil to neutral, range 6-7. Colored bracts, too much shade and water resticts blooming.Family Nyctaginaceae. It contains both male and female components in the same flower. Favours Bonsai. lifespan around 50 years. Thrive in pots - dwarf varieties close to support structures. Sow Cuttings in summer or early autumn- 15 cm/ 6 inches long- new shoot at the top and old shoot at bottom. Pinch plant for side shooting - bushier. Organic fertilisers - coffee grounds nitrogen , eggshells- calcium-  banana peels potassium.  Prune late winters or early spring and remove dead woods and aggressive growth. Drought tolerant. Ornamental use in landscape as a hedge, ground cover, accent point, arches. columns, etc. 

Viburnum spp. – Viburnum (بُفرا یا جھاڑی گل)

 

                Scientific name - Viburnum continifolium. Shrubs or small trees. Vuburnums make garden       beautiful with structures, flowers and berries of different colors - red, pink, blue, purple and black depending on their type and maturity. Full sun mostly for flowers and berries. not very picky about soil. Deciduous. First year growth slow. Watering in morning avoids fungal risks, deep watering weekly. Soil should be moist but not waterlogged.  

Viburnum spp. – Viburnum (بُفرا یا جھاڑی گل)

– Hardy ornamental shrub or small tree
– Fragrant, white to pink clustered blooms
– Versatile landscape plant with year-round interest

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🌿 Botanical Name: Viburnum spp. (vy-BUR-num)
🌿 Family: Adoxaceae (a-dox-AY-see-ee)
🧊 Hardiness Zone (USA): 4–9 (varies by species)
📏 Height: 5 to 15 feet; depending on variety – upright or spreading form

🍃 Foliage:
Broadleaf deciduous or evergreen, depending on species; most have oval to elliptical leaves with textured veins and rich green color turning to red, orange, or purple in autumn

🌸 Flowering Period (Lahore/Punjab):
February to April – fragrant white or pale pink flowers bloom in domed or snowball-like clusters; some varieties rebloom lightly in summer

🌼 Companion Plants:

• Spiraea japonica – for layered shrubs with pink summer flowers

• Lagerstroemia indica – contrast with crepe-textured blooms

• Nerium oleander – tough flowering shrub for similar usage

🏡 Garden Usage:
Perfect for hedging, foundation planting, informal screens, or woodland borders; appreciated in both formal and naturalistic gardens for multi-season appeal

🍈 Fruition:
Most viburnums produce small red, blue, or black berries after flowering; attractive to birds and often long-lasting on branches

🌱 Soil:
Tolerates various soils but thrives in fertile, moist, well-drained loam enriched with organic matter

⚖️ pH Value:
5.5–7.5 (acidic to neutral to slightly alkaline depending on variety)

💧 Water:
Moderate; consistent moisture in growing season is best; mulch helps retain soil moisture and cool roots

🌡️ Temperature:
Thrives in Lahore’s winter and spring; tolerates summer heat if partially shaded and well-watered; evergreen varieties may scorch in extreme heat

☀️ Location Preference (sun or shade):
Full sun to partial shade – best flowering and foliage color in at least 4–6 hours of sun

🌾 Propagation:
By softwood cuttings in early summer or hardwood cuttings in winter
Some varieties can be grown from seed, but seeds require moist stratification and patience; germination can take over a year

🐛 Pesticides:
Generally pest-free; aphids or powdery mildew may occur in humid conditions—use neem oil or mild fungicides as needed

🌻 Fertilizers:
Apply balanced fertilizer (10-10-10) in early spring before flowering; compost mulch also supports healthy roots and blooms

🦋 Attractiveness to Wildlife:
Flowers attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators; fruits are a food source for birds in late summer and fall

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💡 Tip:
With its fragrant flowers, vivid autumn foliage, and bird-attracting berries, Viburnum is one of the most rewarding multi-season shrubs for gardens in Lahore’s climate.

🌼 May you enjoy planting, pruning, and appreciating this lovely Viburnum (بُفرا یا جھاڑی گل) as it brings form, fragrance, and function to your landscape year-round.

Solandra maxima- Cup of gold vine

 

Solandra maxima – Cup of Gold Vine (سونے کا پیالہ بیل)

– Giant golden trumpet flowers, – Night-scented climber, – Fast-growing and evergreen

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🌿 Botanical Name: Solandra maxima (soh-LAN-drah MAK-sih-mah)
🌿 Family: Solanaceae (soh-luh-NAY-see-ee)
🧊 Hardiness Zone (USA): 9–11
📏 Height: 20 to 30 feet as a climber

🍃 Foliage:
Broad, leathery, deep green evergreen leaves; new growth appears soft and pale, adding contrast throughout the year

🌸 Flowering Period (Lahore/Punjab):
February to June – large, goblet-shaped golden-yellow flowers that open in the evening and give off a sweet vanilla scent

🌼 Companion Plants:

• Bougainvillea – adds dramatic, vivid color contrast

• Tecoma stans – similar sunny disposition and shape

• Thunbergia grandiflora – adds a cool blue balance to the palette

🏡 Garden Usage:
Ideal for trellises, boundary walls, gazebos, and large containers with structural support; eye-catching and tropical in feel

🍈 Fruition:
Occasional oval, leathery fruits may appear after flowering, though they’re rarely seen in ornamental settings and not harvested.

🌱 Soil:
Loose, fertile, compost-rich loamy soil that drains well

⚖️ pH Value:
Neutral to slightly acidic (6.0 to 7.0)

💧 Water:
Keep evenly moist during spring and summer; reduce in winter; avoid soggy soil

🌡️ Temperature:
Thrives between 20–35°C; vulnerable to frost and cold winds

☀️ Location Preference (sun or shade): Full sun to partial shade – needs minimum 4–6 hours of direct light for optimal flowering

🌾 Propagation:
Easily propagated from semi-hardwood cuttings taken in spring or early summer.
Seed propagation is uncommon in gardens, but viable seeds can be sown in warm, moist soil. Germination takes 3–4 weeks under high humidity.

🐛 Pesticides:
Susceptible to aphids, spider mites, and mealybugs; neem oil or insecticidal soap recommended for control

🌻 Fertilizers:
Balanced fertilizer (10-10-10) monthly in growing season; add compost or leaf mold to enrich the soil

🦋 Attractiveness to Wildlife:
Sweet-scented blooms attract night pollinators such as moths, especially in warmer months

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💡 Tip:
With its bold golden chalices and rapid climbing habit, this vine turns any wall or frame into a glowing tropical arch—just be sure to give it room and regular trims.

🌼 May you enjoy planting, watching, and delighting in this Cup of Gold Vine (سونے کا پیالہ بیل) as it blooms richly in your garden or courtyard.

Please enjoy viewing and decorate environment with this creeper. 

Good luck.