Spring in Washington D.C. means it’s Cherry blossom time in fact March 26th through April 10th are the dates of the 2011 National Cherry Blossom Festival. In 1912 the Mayor of Tokyo donated 3,000 Cherry trees to Washington D.C. All sorts of events are planned around the blossom time including blossom tours and cruises, art shows, the Cherry Blossom Gala as well as special bike rides and of course the annual Flower Exhibition.
The last few years the crowds have been down because the rain has kept people away but this year the skies are expected to be sunny.
I think the cherry blossom is one of the most beautiful flowers there is but the dainty flowers only last a few days. So in honor of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, I thought I’d provide a show of some of my favorite varieties of genus Prunus.
Most of the trees at the National Festival are Yoshino variety but there are also Akebono, Kwanzan and a few others mixed in. If you have any photos of your own please pass them on and I’ll add them to the post.
If you want to try your hand at growing flowering cherries have at it. They do well in almost any climate except the deep south. If space is a limited, look for a weeping variety, if not then the Akebono’s and Kwanzans are pretty much the standard and will grow to 20 ft plus high and wide.(Kwanzans are a bit more vertical) Don’t expect any edible fruit from these types though. If you want fruit, Prunus cerasus types are tart and Prunus avium types are sweet and both come in a bunch of cultivars.
If you want some other ideas for smallish pretty trees here is a link to a previous post on the subject.
Thanks,
Rees
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I really like cherry blossom coz it inspire me so much when times of sadness……