Time for Cherry Blossoms!

Prunus sargentii  ‘Columnaris’ along the Cherry Tree Walk

One of the wonderful things about Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden’s Cherry Tree Walk is that we designed it for an extended bloom time. That means that while our Japanese flowering apricot trees (Prunus mume) may have bloomed, and our Prunus sargentii ‘Columnaris’ and Prunus incam ‘Okamé’  trees are blooming now, the biggest flush of blooms is yet to come, and may start as early as this weekend.

Bell-flowered cherry blossoms (Prunus x incam ‘Okamé’) blooming in the Asian Valley last week.

The well known Washington, D.C. cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin were a gift of 3,000 trees from Tokyo, Japan over a hundred years ago, in 1912, and even have their own Cherry Blossom Cam and  festival! While our trees don’t have their own webcam or festival (at least not yet), our Cherry Tree Walk also centers around water and highlights the same kind of trees you’ll see the Tidal Basin.  Yoshino cherries (Prunus x yedoensis) are beloved for their pink blossoms, and the “snow” they create when the wind lifts their petals to the sky and the petals flutter all around you.  Prunus x yedoensis and Prunus x yedoensis ‘Akebono’ are planted not just on the Cherry Tree Walk but also throughout the Garden — in front of the Conservatory, along the Main Garden Path, in Flagler Garden, in the Asian Valley.  Visit us now and you will also see Thundercloud plum (Prunus cerasifera ‘Thundercloud’), weeping cherry (Prunus × ‘Snofozam’ Snow Fountains®),  Prunus serrulata ‘Kwanzan’ and Prunus subhirtella ‘Autumnalis’ blooming throughout the Garden.

(Prunus x incam ‘Okamé’) and a wind chime in the Asian Valley.

Cherry blossoms are a beautiful symbol of friendship. They symbolize the friendship between nations and between people. So bring a friend and come visit the cherry blossoms. It’s a wonderful way to celebrate spring, friendship and beauty.

Prunus × ‘Snofozam’ Snow Fountains® blooming in the Central Garden near the cherry arbor.

There’s just something about the contrast of bright cherry blossoms against a blue sky in spring.