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Photos

Akebono skyline at 5th and Lillooet

Don’t hesitate to go cherry blossom viewing, even on a cloudy day, because if there’s one thing I’ve learned is that cherry blossoms won’t wait. When it’s time for the petals to fall, you want to be there. Rain or shine, it will still be spectacular.

There are two rows of akebono cherry trees at 5th avenue and Lillooet. A bonus feature is that you get the highrises of Burnaby’s Brentwood area in the background.

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This location is very close to 6th and Slocan where you’ll find akebono forming an archway over the street, so you should visit both.

Visit the Festival Neighbourhood maps to see what’s blooming in your area.

Happy cherry blossom viewing!

 

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Photos

Akebono petals at 6th and Slocan (Renfrew Area)

It’s that time of the year when Akebono petals fall softly on the streets of Vancouver. Lots of photographers will visit one of the Festival’s favorite locations, such as 6th and Slocan where Akebono cherry trees form an archway over the street.

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Visit the Festival neighbourhood map to find our favorite cherry blossom viewing locations (listed in red on the map).

You might also like to visit: Graveley street, Georgia street, Manitoba street.

Happy cherry blossom viewing!

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Films

Cherry petals shower

Cherry petals falling on Georgia street, between Willingdon and Boundary, in Burnaby B.C.

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Photos

Akebono cherry trees in Burnaby

Akebono cherry petals on Georgia street in Burnaby

My favorite cherry viewing spot is Georgia street, between Willingdon and Boundary, in Burnaby. There are two rows of cherry trees extending on  seven blocks!

Akebono cherry petals on Georgia street in Burnaby

It’s a great place to walk but you should visit soon (within 2-3 days): petals are already falling and covering the sidewalks.

Akebono cherry blossom

The extra petal on the blossom is how you can tell it’s an Akebono (as opposed to a somei-yoshino) cherry tree.
Fallen Akebono cherry petals on Georgia street in Burnaby

Akebono cherry blossom on sidewalk

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Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival

Sakura Illumination Tour

Sakura Illumination Tour

After you attend the World Umbrella Dance rehearsal tonight at the Roundhouse (6.45-7.45pm), you should go see the Sakura Illumination Tour at Queen Elizabeth 8.00pm-10.00pm.

How to get there: Off Cambie at 33rd there’s a parking lot or park on the street then walk up hill as if going to Bloedel Conservatory and we’ll be on your left at the crest of the hill.

By public transit: get off at King Edward skytrain station, take the bus #15 and get off at 33rd street ; alternatively, you can get off at Oakridge 41st Avenue skytrain station, take the 15 Downtown and get off at 33rd street. Visit Translink for exact bus schedule and information.

The Sakura Illumination Tour is a mobile night-time installation which will illuminate various cherry blossom sites in public parks and beaches while in full bloom.

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Photos

Cherry tree talk and walk at VanDusen

Weedping cherry tree Higan at Van Dusen Garden April 7 2013

On April 7 2013, I joined the cherry talk and walk at the VanDusen botanical garden. Our guide Anne Eng has been a cherry scout for many years and is also a volunteer at the garden.

First, we visited the beni shidare trees on the Great Lawn.

Weedping cherry tree Higan at Van Dusen Garden April 7 2013

This is the view of fifteen hundred years” said Anne.  In Japan, cherry trees were growing on hillsides. People thought they were beautiful so  they uprooted the trees and brought them down closer to civilization. The VanDusen garden replicated the original location by planting the cherry trees on a hill.

Weedping cherry tree Higan at Van Dusen Garden April 7 2013

The garden has several weeping higan cherry trees which are known as beni shidare (beni means “pink”, and shidare means “weeping”).

Weedping cherry tree Higan at Van Dusen Garden April 7 2013

Did you know? Cherry trees (prunus) are members of the rose family.

Bark of a Japanese flowering cherry tree

There are two major characteristics of cherry trees:

1)     Lenticels ( “Cherry bars, stop the car!”)

If you are not sure if the trees blooming on your street are plum or cherry trees, look at the trunk.  Cherry trees have horizontal lines on the bark called “lenticels”.  (Lenticels allow gas exchange between the air and the internal tissues).

All cherry trees have lenticels“, said Anne, “but not all trees with lenticels are cherry trees.”

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2)      Cherry blossoms grow in clusters called “umbels”. An umbel is when more than one flower comes out of the bud and each flower is at the end of a long stalk (like in this picture).

Great White Cherry at Van Dusen Botanical Garden April 7 2013

I was very impressed by the Great White Cherry, or prunus “Taihaku” (seen above):

1)      it has big white blossoms (5 cm)

2)      and copper color leaves (you can see the copper at the tip of the leaves in this picture)

Somei Yoshina cherry tree at Van Dusen Garden April 7 2013

On the rhododendron walk, we saw a huge somei-yoshino which is the original cherry tree from Japan.

A man from Georgia took a somei-yoshino tree back to his town, donated lots of them, and every year they have the International Cherry festival in this small town in Georgia, in March.

Somei Yoshina cherry tree at Van Dusen Garden April 7 2013

In Japan, they planted samples of somei-yoshino trees in specific location across the country. Every spring, they observe these trees. When the cherry tree has six blossoms, they declare that cherry season has begun and they report it on the news,  from the south to the north. It’s called the Cherry Wave.

Chrystanthemum cherry tree at Van Dusen Botanical Garden April 7 2013

The Chrysanthemum cherry tree was one of my favorite cherry trees in the garden.

Snow Fountain weeping cherry tree at Van Dusen Botanical Garden April 7 2013

Snow Fountain.  The name is so pretty.

Somei Yoshina cherry tree at Van Dusen Garden April 7 2013

These are the trees of your future” said Anne, when we visited the cherry trees that are not yet in bloom. The Kanzan and  Shirofugan  should be blooming in two weeks. Kanzan are the most planted cherry trees in Vancouver along with Akebono (Akebono means “daybreak”).

Shirofugan and Shigetsu will be the last cherry trees to bloom in the garden (Shirofugan blossoms grow pink, turn white, then turn pink again). So keep your eyes open.

Did you know? There are several more tree talks and walks (some them focusing on cherry trees) scheduled this month for the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival.

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Cherry Jam Photos

Burrard station is ready for Cherry Jam!

Akebono Burrard skytrain station in bloom March 31 2013

Akebono cherry trees at Burrard skytrain station are now in full bloom!It’s going to be gorgeous for the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival Cherry Jam this Thursday April 4th (11.00am-1.30pm)!

Akebono Burrard skytrain station in bloom March 31 2013

This afternoon, before heading to Burrard station,  I stopped at T&T (near BC Stadium) to pickup some sushi and dumplings.

T&T is offering a special sakura sushi tray in partnership with the VCBF and they also have a sweet bun festival right now with buns in different shapes like a snowman, hedgehog, frog, Snoopy, etc. These are too cute to resist!

After picking up some goodies, I hopped on the skytrain and headed to Burrard to have a picnic under the blossoms.

Akebono Burrard skytrain station in bloom March 31 2013

At the Burrard station, there were lots of people taking pictures, especially of that single tree that always seems to be in the sunlight.

Akebono Burrard skytrain station in bloom March 31 2013

Around 4.30 pm, the reflection of the setting sun (coming from the surrounding buildings) was coloring the blossoms pink at this location that is almost always in the shade.

Akebono Burrard skytrain station in bloom March 31 2013

Photography tip: don’t be afraid to do some closeups.  I just love taking pictures of the sun through the blossoms!

Cherry viewing tip: It’s time to visit! The cherry trees are peaking.  If you work Downtown, bring your lunch and enjoy a picnic under the canopy every day this week before the blossoms fall. Remember this important rule of cherry blossom viewing: Never say “tomorrow!”