A cherry blossom (Prunus serrulata), which is sometimes called sakura (さくら) after the Japanese, is one of my favorite flowers. Many of the varieties that have been cultivated for ornamental use do not produce fruit. It has a wide variety, well over 200 cultivars can be found in Japan.
Picture of cherry blossom ( Prunus serrulata, is called sakura さくら)
The most popular variety of cherry blossom in Japan is the Somei-Yoshino (Prunus x yedoensis, synonym Cerasus x yedoensis, also known as Yoshino cherry). Its flowers are nearly pure white, tinged with the palest pink, especially near the stem. They bloom and usually fall within a week, before the leaves come out. Therefore, the trees look nearly white from top to bottom.
Picture of Somei-Yoshino (Prunus x yedoensis,
synonym Cerasus x yedoensis, also known as Yoshino cherry).
The other popular varieties of cherry blossoms are yamazakura, shidarezakura (weeping cherry, also called yaeshidarezakura), kikuzakura (chrysanthemum cherry), and jugatsuzakura (autumn cherry).
Picture of yamazakura
Picture of shidarezakura (weeping cherry,
also called yaeshidarezakura),
Picture of kikuzakura (chrysanthemum cherry)
Picture of jugatsuzakura (autumn cherry).
When Hanami festivities (Japanese traditional custom parties of enjoying the beauty of cherry blossom flowers under the blooming trees), you will love to enjoy the intensity of many single blossoms from a close distance, also looking at a single tree or a group of trees that appear as beautiful clouds from a distance.
Picture of Hanami festivities (Japanese traditional custom parties of
enjoying the beauty of cherry blossom flowers under the blooming trees)
