If you see pink snow all around you and on the tree branches you can be sure it is a Japanese cherry blossom tree.Cherry blossom season is a happy time around the year. Nature’s beauty can be admired at its best.Cherry blossom trees are full of mostly white, pale pink, or dark pink flowers. They bloom together almost at the same time from late May to mid-April. An amazing fact is that the whole cherry blossom season only lasts around one to two weeks. They can grow as tall as 75 ft (23 m).These cherry blossom trees have been used as a symbol of the renewal of life after a periodic change. It means that life is ephemeral in nature. The beauty lies in enjoying it while we have time. Cherry blossom flowers enlighten your hearts with joy simply at their sight. So enjoy life in every moment.There are many species of cherry blossom. The most popular variety of Japanese cherry trees is called the sakura in Japan.These stunning ornamental cherry trees are not related to the fruit flowering cherry trees. These flowers will not grow to cherries. They are known for their mesmerizing beauty by people of every country. People visit Japan, Tokyo during this special cherry blossom season to enjoy the full bloom. There is a special flower viewing festival organized for the visitors of Tokyo to view these extravagant flowers. The festival has been celebrated since 700 BC.It is interesting to know that these cherry blossom trees can adapt very well everywhere. They grow well all over the United States in many parks. Their lifespan is around 30-40 years. Cherry blossom trees offer the colorful sight of autumn leaves on a handsome strong bark. They are quick to grow and require little care. It is ideal to grow in a house garden as well. You can have your own personal cherry blossom party when they bloom.If you enjoy this article, why not also read about the Canadian maple tree or what grows on palm trees here at Kidadl?How to grow a Japanese cherry blossom tree from the seed?Cherry blossom trees are easy maintenance trees. You can grow them in your backyard or front garden.To grow sakura you will have to do scarification (which means making the hard outer shell weak) and stratification (which means mimicking winter season-like conditions) for germination. This process is needed for a certain type of seeds to grow well. It is a process to be followed for most sakura (cherry blossom) seeds so as to get a high successful germination rate.For scarification use hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is used to weaken the outer shell. It prevents mold formation. There are many other methods for scarification of the seed that you can use. It is basically used for the seeds to hibernate in the winter season and wait for the spring to arrive.You must use a method that is least damaging to the seed and most effective. Here are a few steps that you must follow to get the best results.First, soak the cherry blossoms seeds as a whole in hydrogen peroxide for a minimum of 10 minutes. Others use sandpaper to scrub off the hard outer shell. Filing the seed is like filing a wood, but this has to be done softly. Do not become aggressive to get faster results. You may instead harm the seed. Then you can lightly nick the seed with a knife. Do not break the seed. Some people may choose to break open the seed, but this is the most aggressive way. It is going to harm the inner seed and you may not get any germination at all.You will need a zip lock bag for stratification. Also, get some moist kitchen towels and paper labels to be stuck on the bag. Get a 10% hydrogen peroxide or common bleach for this purpose. For later get a sieve, gloves so that you do not harm your skin, and tweezers to pick up the seeds. Last but not least do not forget the cherry blossom seeds.Once these things are ready, then rinse the cherry blossom seeds with water in a sieve. Use gloves to soak sakura seeds in the bleach solution. The soaking time should be around 10 minutes only. Then use a method of scarification to soften the outer skin for germination.After this, take most of the kitchen paper and place the seeds with tweezers one by one. Then place this whole moist paper in the zip lock bag so that moisture does not escape. Label them well so that you do not have to open them again and again to see what is there and how many days it has been. Write the date properly to time the germination. You can put it in the refrigerator, but do not freeze it.You can see sprouting in a few weeks’ time. It generally takes two to eight weeks according to the variety of seeds. Check for germination once every week. Keep the paper moist. Spray a little water if you feel it has dried out. This is very necessary for proper germination.Now for potting, get a potting mix. The ready mix available for roses can work well. If you prefer to make it yourself then you must add 30% coarse sand for drainage. Make the mix slightly acidic for better growth of sakura trees. Minimize molding problems to get beautiful and delicate flowers.Use gloves to place washed seeds in the pot. Then cover the seed with a thin layer of the mix. Do not make the top layer more than 0.78 in (2 cm). Put the seed in a place where it gets ample sunlight. This will enhance germination. Give it regular water. Keep the seeds at moderate temperature. The temperature must never be below 59 F (15 C). On the other hand, it must not go above 86 F (30 C) temperature.Stratification shall not be necessary if you can get fresh seeds. The rate of germination decreases if the seeds are stored for a long time. If the seeds have been stored for a long time then stratification is necessary.Can cherry blossom trees grow outside of Japan?Cherry blossom trees are an important part of Japanese culture. They are used in traditional art forms. Japanese people use the sakura design in most things like clothes, jewelry, paintings, decor, and in daily life.Special species of cherry blossoms can be found growing throughout the world. The temperatures of the regions in the Northern hemisphere are suitable for its growth. Examples of countries with temperate climates are Japan, China, Korea, Nepal, Iran, India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. It can also be seen growing in parts of Europe and America.Sakura looks the best in the spring season. It has been grown in public parks and special places for beautification. In Japan, you can see them grow almost everywhere. But the imperial palace of Japan situated in Tokyo has a vast spread of sakura trees growing in an amazing pattern in peak bloom. The flowers shower on you when you walk past in the mild breeze during the blossom season. It is a view just like a dream.How many types of cherry blossom trees are there?Cherry blossoms or sakura look like they belong to a fairyland when they are at peak bloom season.The pink petals feel like soft snow and make your heart happy from within. The spring season is all about happiness. Flowering cherry blossoms can be of different colors.We may think that there are only three main types of sakura trees as mostly you can witness pale pink, white, or dark pink cherry blossom flowers. But you may be amazed to learn that there are over 200 varieties of these Japanese cherry blossom trees. These include wild and cultivated types of blossoms in Japan, especially around Tokyo.Japanese Cherry Blossom Tree SignificanceCherry blossom trees are different than cherry fruit. These sakura or cherry blossoms hold a significant place in the lives of Japanese people.Sakura or the cherry blossom is the national flower of Japan. It is holy for the people of this country. You will find cherry blossoms in their clothes, pagodas, streets, cutlery, and designs. They are obsessed with its beauty. However, the cherry blossoms are not just delicate flowers for them.The Japanese people connect these cherry blossoms with a lesson we can learn from Mother Nature. Sakura represents the cycle of time and life. It signifies the renewal of everything with time. It reflects optimism when in full bloom.When in full bloom in spring they signify that winter has come to an end. So one phase of life has ended and the next begins. Just like in our lives, life is all about transition. This is the main learning of Buddhism.Cherry blossoms are magnificent flowers in full bloom. but the lifespan of these pink cherry blossoms is very brief. The whole cycle from full bloom to falling of pink flower is over in just a few weeks. This reminds people of Japan that human life is very short and beautiful. We must not spend it lamenting, rather enjoy every moment that we have. See the beauty and what you have rather than what you could get. Live in the very moment.The fallen cherry blossom petals symbolize the souls of Japanese samurai. Those who lived with a noble character never feared death. They sacrificed their lives for the emperor or to safeguard Japan.This sakura or cherry blossom flower season is also related to a festival in spring. The time is known for being fun and frolicking, known as the flower-viewing season. It is celebrated every year in the whole of Japan and especially in Tokyo.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for facts about the Japanese cherry blossom tree, then why not take a look at yew tree symbolism or deciduous trees list articles?
If you see pink snow all around you and on the tree branches you can be sure it is a Japanese cherry blossom tree.
