Yoshino cherry leaves are 2.5-6 in long, and 1.5-3 in broad, with toothed edges. Leaves are often bronze-toned when they first emerge then turn dark green by summer. Their leaves do not emerge until after the peak flowering season. Yoshino cherry flowers are fragrant, 1.2-1.4 in in diameter, with five white or pale pink petals. The flowers grow in clusters of five or six together. The fruit is round, berry-like, and 0.3-0.4 in in diameter.

The Yoshino cherry was first introduced to the United States in 1902. In 1913, Tokyo gave the city of Washington over 3,000 cherry trees as a gift, the majority of which were Yoshino cherries. Today, this tree is still the most common cherry on the Washington Monument grounds, home to the National Cherry Blossom Festivals. Yoshino cherries usually live between 15 and 20 years, a relatively short lifespan for an ornamental tree.