Prunus buergeriana
# Prunus buergeriana

Prunus buergeriana, in Japanese イヌザクラ (inu-zakura), meaning dog cherry, is a species of bird cherry native to Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China, northeast India (Sikkim), and Bhutan. In China it prefers to grow on mountain slopes at 1000 to 3400 m above sea level. Its closest relative is Prunus perulata, from which it is morphologically and genetically distinct.

## Description

Prunus buergeriana individuals usually reach a height of 6–12 metres (20–39 ft). The small flowers are borne on a raceme. The fruit ripen from green through red to black.

## Cultural significance

Considered an unlovely tree in Japan, the dog cherry is used as a simile in Japanese haiku for unflattering comparisons with dogs; in these the paltry raceme resembles the tail of a whipped cur, or the spotted bark the markings of a starving mongrel.

