Prunus and Pliny uses "prūnus silvestris" to mean the blackthorn. The word is not native Latin, but is a loan from Greek προῦνον ("prounon"), which is a variant of προῦμνον ("proumnon"), origin unknown. The tree is προύμνη ("proumnē"). Most dictionaries follow Hoffman, "Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Griechischen", in making some form of the word a loan from a pre-Greek language of Asia Minor, related to Phrygian. The first use of "Prunus" as a genus name was by Carl Linnaeus in "Hortus Cliffortianus" of 1737, which went on to become "Species Plantarum". In that work, Linnaeus attributes the word to "Varr.", who it
Prunus subhirtella Prunus subhirtella Prunus subhirtella ("Prunus" × "subhirtella") or Prunus pendula sometimes also called winter-flowering cherry, spring cherry, Higan cherry, or rosebud cherry is a small deciduous flowering tree originating in Japan, but unknown in the wild. It is probably of hybrid origin between "Prunus incisa" and "Prunus spachiana". "Prunus subhirtella" bears white to pink flowers which may emerge intermittently from autumn through to spring, and small black fruit. Several garden forms are known. The variety 'Jugatsu-zakura' (incorrectly known as "Prunus" × "subhirtella" 'Autumnalis') is widely grown for its propensity to flower during mild winter weather. The flowers can be used