The cherry blossom, or sakura, is one of the main reasons many travel to Japan over the period I did.
Sakura usually refers to flowers of ornamental cherry trees, such as cultivars of Prunus serrulata, not trees grown for their fruit. Cherry blossoms have been described as having a vanilla-like smell, which is mainly attributed to coumarin.
Wild species of cherry tree are widely distributed, mainly in the Northern Hemisphere.They are common in East Asia, especially in Japan, where they have been cultivated, producing many varieties.
Most of the ornamental cherry trees planted in parks and other places for viewing are cultivars developed for ornamental purposes from various wild species. In order to create a cultivar suitable for viewing, a wild species with characteristics suitable for viewing is needed.
Prunus speciosa (Oshima cherry), which is endemic to Japan, produces many large flowers, is fragrant, easily mutates into double flowers and grows rapidly.
The Japanese word sakura (桜 or 櫻; さくら or サクラ) can mean either the tree or its flowers. The cherry blossom is considered the national flower of Japan, and is central to the custom of hanami.
Here are a selection of my photos below. It is a must if you are heading over the March till May period. Be warned, the sites are very busy and the Japanese spring is rather chilly! Hope you are enjoying the Post Holiday Blues 25' series. Till next time!
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