Cherry Blossom Trees , also known as Sakura Trees , are atype of ornamental cerise treesnative to Japan , Korea , and China . The delicate pinkish or lily-white flowers of these tree diagram flower each fountain , for only about a week or two . These trees are a cultural icon in Japan , steeped in history , symbolism and aesthetic appreciation .

Sakura trees are often calledJapanese cherryin English . ( This is also a   common name   for   Prunus serrulata ) . Wild   species   of cherry tree are wide distributed , mainly in the Northern Hemisphere . They are common in East Asia , especially in   Japan , where they have been civilize , producing many varieties .

The Nipponese terminal figure “ sakura ” can refer to either the tree itself or its flush . Cherry bloom are study the national bloom of Japan , and are fundamental to the custom of hanami , which is the custom of picnicking under a blooming cherry blossom Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree . This custom goes back many century and is a sentence of festival and celebrations in honor of the cherry red blossoms .

The discernment of cerise blossoms in Japan dates back centuries . legend say Emperor Keitai planted a sakura tree 1,500 age ago to mark his ascension to the crapper . In the early 20th century , the practice of gift sakura Tree as tokens of friendship circulate and with time the tree became deep intertwined with Nipponese culture .

Today in Japan , the blooming of cerise blossoms symbolizes the beauty and transience of life , a concept known as “ mono no aware ” . This custom dates back to the Heian period ( 794 - 1185 ) when blue blood would amass under cherry Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree to savour the sweetheart of the flowers .

The cultivation of decorative cherry trees began to circularize in   Europe   and the   United States   in the former twentieth century , particularly after Japan represent trees to the United States as a keepsake of friendship in 1912 .   British plant life collector   Collingwood Ingram   deport important studies of Japanese cherry trees after the   First World War .

Cherry blossom trees are not to be confused with cherry tree diagram that give rise fruit . While both case of trees have blossoms , decorative cherry trees are bred specifically for their bloom , and do not produce comestible cherries . There are many unlike variety of cherry tree blossom tree diagram , with flowers that order in color from white to deep pink .

Most sakura tree are minor to average - sized , with a life of 15 - 30 years , though some can live longer . Their barque is politic and crimson - dark-brown , and their green leaves flex vibrant shades of yellow , red , or crimson in fall . While subtle , sakura blossoms have a pleasant fragrance with hints of lilac , rose , magnolia , and even almond .

cerise blossom trees prefer full sun to partial shade and well - run out , loamy soil . They are dauntless in USDA zones 5 through 8 and can farm up to 20 human foot improbable and 25 metrical foot full . They are relatively low - maintenance trees , but they do require regular tearing during ironic stop and may be susceptible to blighter and diseases .

History of Cherry Blossom Trees In United States

In the United States , the first cerise trees were planted in Washington , D.C. , in 1912 as a gift from Japan to the United States . The gift was initiated by a private citizen name David Fairchild , who was so impressed by the looker of the cherry trees in Japan that he wanted to introduce them to the United States . The first two tree diagram were planted by First Lady Helen Taft and Viscountess Chinda , the wife of the Nipponese Ambassador , on the bank of the Tidal Basin . This upshot marked the beginning of the National Cherry Blossom Festival , which is celebrated annually in Washington , D.C. , to record the endowment and the enduring friendly relationship between Japan and the United States .

Over the years , the cherry trees in Washington , D.C. , have become a symbol of natural spring and a popular holidaymaker attraction . The trees have been replant several time due to various reasons , including disease and damage . Today , there are approximately 3,800 cherry tree trees in Washington , D.C. , and the National Cherry Blossom Festival attracts more than 1.5 million visitant each year .

The cherry red blossom trees in Washington , D.C. , are a mixture of different varieties , includingYoshino , Kwanzan , and Akebono . The Yoshino cherry red Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , which is the most common variety , is love for its fragile , lily-white to pale pink flowers . The Kwanzan cherry red tree , on the other hand , has large , deep pinkish blossom . The Akebono cherry Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , also know as the “ sunrise ” cherry tree , has big , pink prime .

The cherry blossom trees in Washington , D.C. , are a living symbol of the friendship between Japan and the United States .

Classifying cherry tree trees is often confusing , since they are relatively prostrate to mutation and have diverse flowers and characteristics , and many   multifariousness   ( a sub - classification of species ) , crossbreed between species , and cultivars survive . Researchers have assigned different scientific names to the same type of cherry tree throughout different period .

In Europe and North America , ornamental cherry red trees are classified under the subgenusCerasus(“true cherry tree ” ) , within the genus Prunus . Cerasusconsists of about 100 species of cherry tree , but does not include   bush cerise ,   bird cherries , or   cherry bay wreath   ( other non - Cerasusspecies inPrunusare   plums ,   peach tree ,   apricots , and   almonds ) . In China and Russia , where there are many more hazardous cherry red species than in Europe , Cerasuscontinues to be used as a genus .

Some of the most popular smorgasbord let in :

Many cherry species and cultivars salad days between March and April in the Northern Hemisphere . furious cherry Tree , even if they are the same coinage , take issue genetically from one individual to another . Even if they are institute in the same area , there is some variance in the prison term when they contact full bloom . In direct contrast , cultivars are clones propagated by graft or thinning , so each tree of the same cultivar set in the same area will come into full bloom all at once due to their genetic law of similarity