

Source: Wendy Cutler, Shirofugen or Shogetsu? (UBC Forum)
Source: Wendy Cutler, Shirofugen or Shogetsu? (UBC Forum)
Compare with the pictures of the freshly opened Shogetsu cherry blossoms from April 27, 2013
We’re nearing the end of cherry blossom viewing in Vancouver. Let’s take a look at what’s still blooming in your neighborhood.
Let’s enjoy these late-blooming cherry blossoms.
To find out where Amanogawa, Shogetsu and Shirofugen are blooming in your neighborhood, check-out the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival cherry viewing map.
How can you tell the different between Shogetsu and Shirofugen cherry trees?
They both have white double-flowers and they bloom at the same time in Vancouver (just about now), so how can you identify them?
I decided to put my cherry scout training in practice and try to identify a white cherry tree blooming on my street. I quickly determined that it was Shogetsu (as opposed to a Shirofugen). Here’s why:
Emerging leaves: When you want to identify cherry trees, it’s important to keep field notes.
For example, I noticed a couple of weeks ago that the leaves of the tree were emerging (green) before the blossoms, which means the tree cherry was probably a Shogetsu (the leaves of Shirofugen are copper color when they emerge before turning to green then back to copper).
The edge of the Shogetsu petals are fringed (instead of having a smooth round edge).
Wendy Cutler provided great pictures show