The Flowering Cherry Tree

The Flowering Cherry Blossom Tree  is also known as Sukura in Japan.

 

Today we will be looking at the flowering cherry tree blossom.

I have been enjoying the blossom slowly coming into flower, throughout Dorset. The roads always look so much nicer with cherry trees dotted around. I even notice pedestrians stopping and admiring their beauty, with a smile on their faces! Oh I love Spring, don’t you?

The cherry tree typically flowers in April-May.

Tree blossom is just stunning! I love  the beauty of cherry and apple tree blossom.

In the language of flowers the cherry blossom stands for

• Spiritual beauty
• Beauty

There are over 200 varieties of cherry trees growing in Asia, North America and Europe.

The cherry tree belongs to the rosaceae family.

If you need help in identifying a cherry tree, the Natural History Museum have a useful Cherry tree identification guide

In Japan the cherry tree blossom is associated with good fortune and a symbol of love. It is also the unofficial flower for Japan. They hold special cherry tree parties (Hanami) when they are in flower. They also have a special cherry tree festival with tea ceremonies and so on.

Cherry trees flower at different times from January – March in Japan. Nago for example has some 20,000 flowering cherry trees in their park! Here is a guide to cherry tree viewing.

This is on my list of special things Iwould love to see. I would absolutely love to see the cherry tree parties and tea ceremonies, enjoying the thousands of cherry trees in blossom!

In America, Washing DC, they have a national cherry tree festival.

This is to celebrate spring and to honour the cherry tree gifts that were given to them from Japan in 1912.

I have hade the privilege of visiting Batsford Arboretum in Gloucestershire, which holds the national collection of cherry trees.

If you have a small garden, there are smaller varieties of the flowering cherry trees, growing to around 2 meters in height.

The Prunus Triloba a double flowering almond cherry tree has beautiful flowers

I also love the Prunus Shizuka – fragrant cloud Japanese flowering cherry tree

Not only are the flowers beautiful, but some varieties have wonderful autumn colour.

To choose a suitable place to plant your flowering cherry tree, consider an area that receives a lot of sunshine, fairly protected and that has well drained, deep soil. It’s advisable not to plant a tree, where there was previously a tree with a disease. Take into account the expected height of growth of your tree, before you plant it. Some cherry trees require a pollinator, so check the details before you buy one.

The RHS have a guide to show you how to prune your trees.

The Cherry tree is susceptible to black fly, here’s some advice from the RHS.

The RHS have a Cherry Tree Fund as part of their ‘remember a loved one’ fund

Suggestions of where to buy cherry trees

The Ornamental Tree Nursery has some nice small trees

Trees online has some lovely varieties

Mail Order Trees

Gardens to see Cherry tree blossom

Exbury Gardens in Hampshire

Hiller Gardens in Hampshire

Hergest Croft Garden in Herefordshire has a wonderful collection

Lost Gardens of Heligan in Cornwall

Dudmaston Estate in Shropshire

The blossom trail at the Vale of Evesham has some 40 miles ablaze with cherry, apple and plum blossom from mid March- mid May

Many woodland gardens will have this pretty tree in their collection and can often be found growing in church yards.

So get out there and enjoy the lovely blossom!

Update: The National History Museum are running a Cherry Tree survey, if you would like to add the details of where you have seen these beautiful trees, please visit -