Sakura

Sakura What is Sakura? Sakura is the Japanese name for cherry trees & their blossoms. The word "sakura" stems from the Japan word "sakuya", which means blooming. Their blossoms are commonly called cherry blossoms. However, cherry fruit comes from another species of tree. The Sakura has been seen as the national flower of Japan. The Japanese love this flower for its beauty. It is seen as such a delicate flower. This flowers life is also very short & we can only appreciate the fleeting beauty of this flower. There are over 100 different varieties of the flower. The most popular variety of sakura in Japan is the Somei Yoshino. Its flowers are nearly pure white, tinged with the palest pink, especially near the stem. They bloom & usually fall within a week, before the leaves come out. Therefore, the trees look nearly white from top to bottom. Each blossom of Sakura, once open, it can last for 4-10 days with the blooming period lasting 10-14 days. However, cool or high temperatures combined with wind or rain can shorten this period.