The Japanese flowering cherry tree, which only blooms for a very short time in the spring, is sometimes called Sakura ("tree on which god sits") and symbolizes spring, life and beauty. The Japanese consider these trees very special. The cherry blossom came to Japanese when a Japanese goddess named Konohanasakuyahime planted one atop Mt. Fuji.

In 1912, Tokyo gave many such trees as a gift to the United States. We can find many of these trees around the Jefferson memorial in Washington D.C., where an annual Cherry Blossom Festival is held every year since 1935. After World War II, many of the trees in Japan began to die so we donated pieces of our trees to help save the population in Japan.

The leaves of the Japanese cherry tree are broad, alternate and simple and when crushed gives a characteristic odor. Its beautiful pink flowers come out in late March or early April and is therefore one of our earliest bloomers, a sure indication that spring in on the way! The cherry fruits lack powdery bloom and seeds are nearly spherical.