15 things you might not know about cherry blossom
1. Cherry trees belong to the rose family of flowering plants, Rosaceae, which includes roses, apples, pears, almonds, quinces, apricots, plums, cherries, peaches, raspberries, loquats, and even strawberries.
2. In Japan, cherry blossom has a deep cultural significance and represents the exquisite beauty and also the fragility of life.
3. When cherry trees are in bloom, people come in large groups with their families and friends to view the flowers and to enjoy festivals with food, drink, and music – a tradition known as ‘hanami’, which literally translates as 'flower viewing'.
4. There are thought to be around 1 million cherry trees in Japan.
The single cultivar known as 'Somei Yoshino' represents 80% of all of Japan's cherry trees
5. The oldest cherry tree is thought to be around 2,000 years old. The Yamataka Jindai Sakura is 10.3m tall and is a Natural Monument of Japan.
6. 'Sakura' is the Japanese word for 'cherry blossom' and is the country’s most popular girls name.
7. There are over 300 different varieties of cherry tree – also known as cultivars.
8. Cherry blossom species naturally have five petals, but there are some cultivars that have more than 100 petals per flower. Interestingly, however, many people would consider these rather gaudy in Japan.
9. The most planted variety of cherry in Japan is the popular 'Somei Yoshino' (Prunus x yedoensis), which represents over 80% of the country’s cherry trees, and is treasured for its delicate, simple flower form.
10. In the UK, Batsford Arboretum in Gloucestershire has held the National Collection of Japanese Flowering Cherries since 2002, with at least 70% of all known cultivars in its collection.
11. Japan’s international rugby team is nicknamed ‘The Cherry Blossoms’ – their emblem has three sakura flowers.
12. Cherry blossom appears on the Japanese 100 yen coin.
13. Every year in America, 1.5 million people enjoy a cherry blossom festival in Washington DC, where thousands of cherry trees were planted after they were gifted to the USA by Japan in 1912.
14. The best-selling fragrance in the USA is ‘Japanese Cherry Blossom’, with 30 million units sold per year.
15. Most cherry blossom flowers are shades of white or pink, but you can get yellow, or even green, cherry blossom. In Japan, the 'Ukon' variety (Prunus serrulata ‘Ukon’) has vibrant yellow blossoms, while the rare Gyoikou zakura flowers after the main sakura season ends, producing an impressive display of 'highlighter-green' flowers.
