Author: Wendy Cutler

April 21, 2022. Double pink flowers, again from two very different cherries, though it took us a long time to figure that out. ‘Pink Perfection’ are very slight trees that will never form an arch over any street. Note details here of the minute cuts on the petal edges, and the little flags at the tips of the stamens. These have green leaves when the flowers emerge. There are very few of these around. ‘Kanzan’, the most commonly planted cherry in Vancouver, can be robust trees that are often planted on both sides of a whole block, forming an arch over the street. Their leaves emerge bronze to accompany the flowers.

You can share your finds on our forums at VCBF Neighbourhood Blogs | UBC Botanical Garden Forums.

These have been featured photos on the Blooming Now page.

April 20, 2022. Double white flowers from two very different cherries. Broadly-spreading ‘Shirotae’ are well past their prime except in the coldest areas. Prunus avium ‘Plena’ are tall trees much more upright than spreading, and they are just coming into bloom now. They have the sweet cherry species characteristic of sepals that fold back to the stem, so that from the back of the flowers you see a dot instead of a green star.

You can share your finds on our forums at VCBF Neighbourhood Blogs | UBC Botanical Garden Forums.

These have been featured photos on the Blooming Now page.

April 19, 2022. These two photos were taken at the group of four ‘Ukon’ trees at the Ring Gear Monument on Pacific Boulevard. One of the trees has flowers coloured more like ‘Gyoiko’. Does that mean it really is ‘Gyoiko’? Maybe we will figure this out one day.

You can share your finds on our forums at VCBF Neighbourhood Blogs | UBC Botanical Garden Forums.

These have been featured photos on the Blooming Now page.

April 18, 2022. Look at all those petals on these ‘Kiku-shidare-zakura’. They are named chrysanthemum flowers for good reason – they can have more than 100 petals on flowers that don’t get larger than 3.5cm across. “Shidare” in the name indicates that they’re weeping trees.

You can share your finds on our forums at VCBF Neighbourhood Blogs | UBC Botanical Garden Forums.

These have been featured photos on the Blooming Now page.

April 17, 2022. “Loveliest of trees, the cherry now / Is hung with bloom along the bough, / And stands about the woodland ride / Wearing white for Eastertide.” A.E. Housman, A Shropshire Lad (1896). Sweet cherries, Prunus avium, are woodland trees and are in bloom now. These cultivars are not exactly woodland trees: ‘Sendai-shidare’ and ‘Shogetsu’, but they do have white flowers.

You can share your finds on our forums at VCBF Neighbourhood Blogs | UBC Botanical Garden Forums.

These have been featured photos on the Blooming Now page.

April 16, 2022. Here are two late-season double-bloomers, but not the big names. ‘Ichiyo’ are not common, but they’re around, often planted as a pair. We’d thought for years that the ‘Ichihara-tora-no-o’ in the Sunset neighbourhood was a one and only, but last year a cherry scout posted photos of one in Burnaby. These photos were taken last week; they should both have good flower cover now.

You can share your finds on our forums at VCBF Neighbourhood Blogs | UBC Botanical Garden Forums.

These have been featured photos on the Blooming Now page.

April 15, 2022. Mid-season bloomers like ‘Takasago’ are hanging on with our cooler April weather. The flowers are all starting to look more like the red-centred ones in the first photo here. ‘Ama-no-gawa’ opened early this year but still look beautiful.

You can share your finds on our forums at VCBF Neighbourhood Blogs | UBC Botanical Garden Forums.

These have been featured photos on the Blooming Now page.

There was so much interest in the April 19 online haiku workshop that it is being run again the next day, and as of right now, there is still room. Check out the details at 2022 Haiku Online Workshop – Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival (vcbf.ca)

I wasn’t aware of this haiku until I saw it at Sakura Days Japan Fair, after I had already started the “Yesterday’s news” series.

April 14, 2022. Here are yellow and pink. ‘Ukon’ flowers open with a definitely yellow tinge, but they fade to a pale cream as they age, maybe with stripes of green and red. ‘Ichiyo’ open with pale pink flowers which also fade as they age, to almost white.

You can share your finds on our forums at VCBF Neighbourhood Blogs | UBC Botanical Garden Forums.

These have been featured photos on the Blooming Now page.

April 13, 2022. Here are two cultivars with small double pink flowers. ‘Yae-beni-shidare’ (double red weeping) should be an early mid-season bloomer, but it’s still holding onto its rose-like flowers. ‘Kiku-shidare-zakura’ (chrysanthemum weeping) is usually a late bloomer with much denser pompom flowers.

You can share your finds on our forums at VCBF Neighbourhood Blogs | UBC Botanical Garden Forums.

These have been featured photos on the Blooming Now page.