Pleione formosana
Pleiones
Frilly Knicker Tree
Frilly Knickers.
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Chloris
The Blooming Garden 
I love the knicker tree, never heard of one of them!!
I hate it. I love dainty Prunus trees like ‘Pandora’ , ‘Accolade’, or ‘Pink Perfection’. But the Pianist who normally shows no interest in the garden whatsoever, loves it and won’t let me get rid of it.
I’m sort of with you on the tree but the flowers last such a short time that I could live with it if it were already in my garden but I wouldn’t choose to plant one.
I wouldn’ t mind it so much if it was in the orchard, but is so big and in my face whenever I step outside.
I think that is a Kwanzan Cherry? I have mixed feelings about those as well. But Frilly Knickers? Really tasteless.
It probably is a Kwanzan or something equally vulgar. I’ m afraid that is what the flowers look like to me.
I’ve never heard them called frilly knickers before but will call them that from now on! They are wonderful in other people’s gardens and the “pink snow” that falls when they drop their petals can be magical. Here they are often planted as street trees and driving through a pink snow storm can be a treat. They’re very disease prone here so I’d never plant one in my own small garden but I have a nice borrowed view of one from my neighbor’s garden.
I might be wrong, it is just possible that the name is not actually Prunus ‘ Frilly Knickers’, but if it is not, it should be. The pink snow is lovely for a day and then it turns to brown mush which sticks your shoes and gets all over the floor.
One of these trees is planted directly across the street from me, and believe me, it’s an improvement over the usual things I see in that neighbor’s front yard — namely every manner of truck and car sitting on the front lawn. It’s beautiful for a while!
But there are so much prettier ones than this one and it is so big and dominates this part of the garden. I wouldn’t mind it so much in a neighbour’ s garden.
Our next door neighbour has a ‘frilly knicker tree’ which is wearing a high visibility vest at the moment. I can see it as soon as I open the blinds in the morning. There are not much too look at after the blossoms vanish until they show some attractive leaf colour in autumn. What would you plant there if you could chop it down tomorrow?
I have to admit it does have a lovely autumn colour. I don’ t think I ‘ m going to be allowed to chop it down. And I have trained a Blush Rambler rose up it.
You are rattling cages again.. have to say I agree though 🙂
I know I am but it is fun.
A neighbour has one that looked very similar only in a mad moment they cut the top out so now its a boxy squat thing with a few square branches. Yours at least does have a really lovely shape to it. In the winter it must have a wonderful outline shape.
I can quite understand why they attacked the top of the tree, if I had a head for heights I’d do the same. I have to grudgingly admit though, it does have a lovely autumn colour too.
Have to say I’m with the pianist!!! xxx
Oh you Scousers. You always stick together!
We had one just like it growing over the road on the grass verge when I moved here. It had been battered by winds and sat at 45° onto the road. It took me almost 2 years to persuade the council to have it removed! Phew, I hated clearing up those petals.
Your garden is large enough to carry it off Chloris, imagine how many of these are planted in small gardens around the country. I do like your name for it, it really does suit it. Almost forgot your little orchids – very pretty.
My pleiones are so pretty Angie, do you have any? This wretched Kanzan cherry is planted everywhere, I don’ t understand why because there are so many much prettier Prunus trees.
I agree about the cherry, but the tree looks to be a good shape and size, so for the rest of the year it is a positive contribution
It is in reasonable shape but now and then a branch drops off which is disconcerting if you are nearby. It has beautiful autumn colour.
Ooh, so people can say they have been admiring your frilly knickers! LOL! I have never heard of this tree before Chloris, so will go and look it up. The Pleione is very elegant, but looks as if it is looking down its long nose at the frilly knickers tree showing off!
I don’t think you’ ll find Prunus’ Frilly Knickers’ in any book Cathy, or on Google. The pleiones are gorgeous, I did have quite a few but some of them got eaten by mice.
I guess I stand on the side of tasteless, but I’m sure you’ve suspected that already 😉
In my opinion your tree could only be improved with a denser show of blooms and a wider girth. I’m sure my opinion stems from some forgotten childhood trauma but still I love it. As long as it’s in the neighbors garden though…. Oops my position is crumbling!
But it’ s not in the neighbour’ s garden, it’ s in mine and it’s close to the house and it is huge. Why would you want a wider girth? It’ s already a monster.
Everyone needs at least one over-the-top fluffy, frilly personality like that in the garden, don’t they? – at least as long as the pink froth doesn’t overstay its welcome. It makes me think of a little girl in the neighborhood I grew up in who ALWAYS wore pink because, as she proudly told anyone who asked, she “looked good in pink.” My mother always referred to her as “Donna I-look-good-in-pink” and, to this day, I can’t think of her by any other name.
Chloris says:
April 29, 2015 at 8:58 pm (Edit)
Well perhaps I should call my tree ‘ Donna- I – look- good- in- pink’. It’ s a bit politer than ” Frilly Knickers’ and the tree does seem to be shouting’ Look at me I look so good in pink’.
I like it. What can I say? But I don’t have one so it’s easier to enjoy it from afar.
Oh I could admire it from afar. I would probably admire it enormously in your garden, or anyone else’ s. .. But not in mine.
Oh my, you’d hate it here: I think almost every street tree under powerlines is a frilly knickers. Even the main street in town has about 50 of them planted in the centre of the street. So many in fact, that Benny Hill is seen running through town each spring when the frilly knickers are out…..
Well, if you are going to be over the top you may as well do it in style. I know lots of people love these trees. I have visitors who gasp in wonder at my pink-knickered, blowsy- blossomed tree.
I have couple of Pleione formosana growing, too!
They are so beautiful and they come from Taiwan like you! It must be wonderful to see them growing in the wild.
Yes, I found a blog with nice pictures when they were flower in the wild! How great is that!! http://www.kuo22783.com/?p=201
I planted Pleiones and I’m waiting for them to come up. I hope they do.
The biggest problems I have found are mice eating them in the winter and too much winter wet. I keep the pots quite dry in the greenhouse with glass over them and this way they always come up.
OK, so a big huge tree full of frilly knickers is a bit much, but in shrub form it’s cute. My Flowering Almond looks like frilly knickers, too, but it’s much smaller. I seem to remember seeing Pleione formosana orchids during one of my trips south–either at an orchid show or at a botanical garden. Lovely specimen.
A small flowered Frilly Knicker tree like Prunus triloba is the most exquisite thing. I wish I had one.
These little pleiones have to be kept in the greenhouse here but they are so pretty.
The Pleione looks very attractive, I have not come across them before, I must go and look them up.
If you have a greenhouse they are worth looking out for. Not many nurseries stock them. I got mine from eBay.
Love the nickname – so apt! It’s a shame you don’t like it, but at least, it has a couple of positive attributes, in its autumn colour, and playing host to a clematis. Dare I say, it almost has year round interest? Oops, maybe I shouldn’t have! 😉
It has lovely autumn colour I admit. But the blossom falls off and goes brown and mushy and the leaves are an absolute pain. They fall into the pond and make carpets all over the lawn which I resent having to rake up.
I love your names for this tree, ha, ha:) It may be a nuisance to you, but those blooms are gorgeous!
Actually we had a blue sky today and the blossoms are full out. I suppose they did look quite pretty .
LOL, from now on I shall call the ever-present Kwanzan ‘the frilly knickers tree’ — perfect! 🙂
Clearly, that is the only name for them.
Hmmm, would the weeping Kwanzan qualify for “frothy pink negligee tree” status?
I’ m sure if it resembles any sort of lingerie, it is only the prettiest sort. I don’ t really set myself up as an arbiter of taste when it comes to other peoples’ cherry trees. I was just having a bit of fun.
I’m not that keen on either the Pleione or the tree which is just a bit too frothy for my taste! xx
The tree is too frothy for my taste too although everyone who comes loves it. But the little pleiones I do love. They are like little butterflies.
I like Kwanzan cherry trees — the pinker and more flowery, the better. But then, I like hot pink petunias and bright red pelargoniums and big, puffy orange marigolds too. I like flowers that FLOWER so you can’t miss them! I think your tree is beautiful, while the Pleiones looks like you need a microscope to see it on, and only on hands and knees. Perhaps we Americans like brighter colors and bigger flowers because they look better in our bright sunshine? Or maybe we just have different tastes… -Beth
I agree, the quality of the light makes such a difference to what sort of plants we want to grow. Bright light makes the delicate, pastel colours we are enjoying now look washed out. In late summer here, the light is so different and we start to need much brighter more vivid plants. Having said that there is nothing delicate and pastel about the tulips we are enjoying at the moment. You have some beauties too.
Ha ha Chloris. My neighbour at my last house had a frilly knicker tree and each year she was so thrilled with it whilst I was cringing at its in-your-face-candy-pink-rudeness. How boring life would be if we all loved the same thing.
I agree Doris. I don’ t want to hurt anyone’ s feelings, I am just having a bit of fun. Of course we don’ t all love the same plants.
I’m now seeing Frilly Knickers everywhere!!!
I love the knicker tree.Your garden looks beautiful and I am sure your visitors will love it. I am too far away or I would certainly be there.
Yes, you will, they are everywhere. Unfortunately.
When I saw the title of this post I had to take a look. And yes indeed, those ‘Frilly Knickers’ should be dancing the can-can. It’s about as pink and frilly as it gets.
love the name Frilly Knicker Tree, and those pink blossoms-WOW-there is that pink, I am loving in spring gardens:-)