Cherry Blossom
Prunus serrulata · Plant
The Japanese cherry is the tree behind the famous cherry blossom season. Its short, spectacular bloom is celebrated with hanami, the tradition of viewing the flowers.
Key facts
- Scientific name
- Prunus serrulata
- Kind
- Plant
- Conservation status
- Not listed
- Habitat
- Temperate forest
- Range
- Japan, Korea and China
- Size
- Up to about 12 m tall
- Lifespan
- Often 30–50 years in cultivation
- Diet
- Photosynthesis
- Activity
- Blooms for about one to two weeks
- Population
- Widely planted
Diet
A deciduous tree that blooms in early spring before or as its leaves appear.
Behavior
Japan’s weather agency tracks the blossom front as it moves north each spring; the timing is a long-term record of climate.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Phylum
- Tracheophyta
- Class
- Magnoliopsida
- Order
- Rosales
- Family
- Rosaceae
- Genus
- Prunus
- Species
- P. serrulata
Conservation
Common in cultivation; earlier blooming dates are being used to study climate change.
Main threats
- Climate shifts in bloom timing