Categories
Cherry Scouts Photos Uncategorized

Pandora Cherry Blossoms at Mount Pleasant Park

What a gorgeous Saturday afternoon! The sun came up just as I reached Mount Pleasant Park.  I love this location: there are three Pandora  cherry trees you can photograph with the North Shore mountains in the background.

20160305_MtPleasantPark_Pandora_Tremblay_IMG_0557  20160305_MtPleasantPark_Pandora_Tremblay_IMG_0549

You can identify Pandora cherry blossoms by the hint of dark pink at the tip of their petals. This dark pink is visible when the flowers just opened up — later on, the flowers will get whiter — so come see them early!

20160305_MtPleasantPark_Pandora_Tremblay_IMG_0535 20160305_MtPleasantPark_Pandora_Tremblay_IMG_0566

Another feature of the Pandora cherry tree is that the flowers fall WHOLE.  If you look under a tree and you see only FALLEN FLOWERS (no petals!), it’s likely that the cherry tree is a Pandora cultivar.

20160305_MtPleasantPark_Pandora_Tremblay_IMG_0579 20160305_MtPleasantPark_Pandora_Tremblay_IMG_0612

There are plenty of fresh buds on the trees, which means it will be blooming for a while, but don’t wait too late: visit this location within the next week and make sure to bring your picnic. There are lot of picnic tables in the park and the views of the North Shore mountains are amazing!

20160305_MtPleasantPark_Pandora_Tremblay_IMG_0548   20160305_MtPleasantPark_Pandora_Tremblay_IMG_0560

Photos: Jessica Tremblay

Categories
Cherry Scouts

How to tell the difference between cherry trees and plum trees (infographic)

infographic

This infographic will tell you some of the differences between cherry trees and plum trees. If you wanna know more, check out these other blog posts:

Plum trees versus cherry trees: how to tell the difference and identify them

Cherry versus plum blossoms: What’s the difference 

Categories
Cherry Scouts Photos

Okame cherry trees outside UBC Asian Centre

20150228_ubcasiancentre_okame_tremblay_IMG_5508 20150228_ubcasiancentre_okame_tremblay_IMG_5512

At UBC, there are four Okame cherry trees blooming: two outside the Asian Centre and two across the street, right outside the Parkade.

20150228_ubcasiancentre_okame_tremblay_IMG_5490 20150228_ubcasiancentre_okame_tremblay_IMG_5516

You can recognize Okame cherry blossoms by the long reddish calyx-tube that holds the petals together.

20150228_ubcasiancentre_okame_tremblay_IMG_5495 20150228_ubcasiancentre_okame_tremblay_IMG_5486

Because the calyx-tube is almost red, Okame are recognizable by the red “star shape” in the centre of the flowers.

20150228_ubcasiancentre_okame_tremblay_IMG_5478 20150228_ubcasiancentre_okame_tremblay_IMG_5485

The leaves grow bronze to reddish green.

Okame are rare in Vancouver because they are prone to diseases.

20150228_ubcasiancentre_okame_tremblay_IMG_5536 20150228_ubcasiancentre_okame_tremblay_IMG_5511

The Okame cherry petals are falling fast. You should visit this location soon.

20150228_ubcasiancentre_okame_tremblay_IMG_5531

This week is your last chance to see Okame cherry trees: most Okame cherry trees have already finished blooming, but because this Okame Cherry tree at UBC is in the shade, you’ll have one more week to enjoy it.

Learn more about Okame cherry tree in this forum post about Okame cherry tree

Want to see more pics? Here’s another Okame tree in Burnaby

All photos Jessica Tremblay

Categories
Cherry Scouts Photos

Pandora cherry trees at Mt. Pleasant Park

After hearing that Pandora cherry trees were blooming in Vancouver, I used the neighborhood maps to find a location and decided to go to Mt. Pleasant Park.

20140401_Ontario16thMtPleasantPrk_tremblay_IMG_8014

At Mount Pleasant Park (Ontario, between 15th and 16th), I found three Pandora cherry trees. With the Northshore mountains in the background, it’s a beautiful location to take pictures.

20140401_Ontario15thMtPleasantPrk_tremblay_IMG_7968

At first glance, this Pandora cherry tree (a modern hybrid) may look like Akebono. You’ll have to get closer to see the main difference…

20140401_Ontario15thMtPleasantPrk_tremblay_IMG_7951

The main characteristic of the Pandora cherry blossom is that the petals are deeper pink at the end. Can you see in this picture how the tips are darker pink?

20140401_Ontario15thMtPleasantPrk_tremblay_IMG_7962

The tree on 15th and Ontario has low branches, so you’ll be able to take shots like this in macro (without using a zoom).

It’s important to identify the Pandora cherry trees early (thanks to the darker pink at the end of the petals), because the flowers will usually turn white before falling…

20140401_Ontario16thMtPleasantPrk_tremblay_IMG_7989

Another main characteristic of the Pandora is that (most) blossoms fall intact!

20140401_Ontario16thMtPleasantPrk_tremblay_IMG_7998

On some of the fallen flowers, you’ll still be able to see the darker pink at the tip of the petals. But most flowers will be completely white when they fall.

20140401_Ontario16thMtPleasantPrk_tremblay_IMG_7987

There were lots of flowers under the tree.

20140401_Ontario15thMtPleasantPrk_tremblay_IMG_7969

You’ll notice something odd about these Pandora cherry trees: you can’t see the horizontal bars (lenticels) on the bark. Judging by the bark, you might think it’s a plum tree and not a cherry tree, but this tree is definitely a Pandora cherry tree.

blog_20140401_Ontario16thMtPleasantPrk_tremblay_IMG_8002

To recap the characteristics of Pandora cherry trees:

  • tips of petals are darker pink
  • flowers turn white (mostly) before falling
  • flowers fall (mostly) intact

Check out the Ornamental Cherries in Vancouver for more information about the 54 varieties of cherry trees in Vancouver and to identify them.

20140401_Ontario16thMtPleasantPrk_tremblay_IMG_8021

Is this a good spot for Hanami picnic?  Absolutely! Lots of green grass, park benches, lots of trees, fresh air, and stunning view of the Northshore Mountains. This location is a ten out of ten! Visit in the next week and bring your picnic!

 

Categories
Photos

Okame cherry tree (Charles street/Fell)

log_20140323_okame_charlesfell_tremblay_IMG_7391

This Okame cherry tree,  located on Charles Street (corner Fell) in Burnaby North, has dark pink – almost red – flowers. It would be easy to mistake it for a Whitcomb cherry tree or a plum tree.

As always, to identify a cherry tree, you have to get closer…

log_20140323_okame_charlesfell_tremblay_IMG_7398

The main characteristics of the Okame is that the flowers have a long calyx tube.

log_20140323_okame_charlesfell_tremblay_IMG_7400

The centre of the Okame cherry blossom is red, and red “veins” run through the petals.

The petals open wide, and far apart, all around the sepals (the “star” shape at the centre).

log_20140323_okame_charlesfell_tremblay_IMG_7420

The red “heart” might be hard to see on young flowers that have not yet open. However, on these young blossoms, the long calyx would be a clue to identify them as Okame cherry blossoms.

log_20140323_okame_charlesfell_tremblay_IMG_7410

The small slit at the end of each petals is clearly visible. This is a clue, along with the horizontal bars on the trunk, that these are, indeed, cherry blossoms (and not plum).

log_20140323_okame_charlesfell_tremblay_IMG_7434

Looking at the fallen blossoms is an excellent way to learn more about cherry trees.

log_20140323_okame_charlesfell_tremblay_IMG_7447

The Okame cherry petals are dark pink and very tiny.  The slit at the end of the petals is clearly visible against the sidewalk.

blog_20140323_okame_charlesfell_tremblay_IMG_7509

If you’ve never seen an Okame cherry tree, this location is worth a visit within the next week. There’s plenty of parking in the residential street.

 

Additional tips

Can’t make it to that location? No problem. Find out where you can find Okame cherries on our neighborhood map.

To identify cherry trees in your neighborhood, buy Ornamental Cherries in Vancouver (your essential guide to cherry blossom viewing in Vancouver).

 

Categories
Photos

What are the parts of a cherry blossom?

Can you name the parts of this cherry blossom tree?

During the Blossom Biology workshop on April 11, Douglas Justice introduced us to the different parts of a cherry blossom.

I discovered there are much more to cherry blossoms than the flowers: the bud scales open up and out come the peduncle, the bracts, the pedicels, then the blossoms.

It takes lots of energy for a cherry tree to grow blossoms!

PS Douglas showed us an illustration from a book but since I couldn’t use that illustration, I’ve created my own identification slide using a  picture of budding Kanzan cherry blossom.