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There are over one hundred cherry tree varieties in Japan. A few of them are wild varieties native to Japan's forests, such as the Yamazakura, but the large majority of them have been cultivated by humans over the centuries for decorative use in gardens and parks. By far the most popular cherry tree variety today is the particularly pretty, cultivated Somei Yoshino.
There are several characteristics differentiating the many cherry tree varieties. Some of the obvious ones, that can also be easily recognized by beginners, are listed below:
Number of petals
Most wild trees, but also a lot of cultivated tree varieties, have blossoms with five petals. However, some species have blossoms which consist of ten, twenty or more petals. Trees with blossoms of more than five petals are called yaezakura.
5 petals
(e.g. Somei Yoshino)
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about 20 petals
(e.g. Ichiyo)
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about 100 petals
(e.g. Kikuzakura)
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Color of the blossoms
Most varieties produce light pink to white blossoms, but there are also cherry trees with dark pink, yellow or green blossoms. Furthermore, the color of some varieties' cherry blossoms may change while they are in bloom. For example, a blossom may open as a white flower and change color to pink over the course of a few days.
white blossoms
(e.g. Shogetsu)
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pink blossoms
(e.g. Kanzan)
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yellow blossoms
(e.g. Ukon)
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The fresh leaves
In case of early blooming trees, the fresh leaves usually do not appear until after full bloom, which gives the trees an attractive, homogeneous look while they are in full bloom. In case of later blooming trees, the leaves usually appear before the blossoms, giving the trees a more heterogeneous look. Furthermore, the color of the fresh leaves differs between the varieties. In most cases, the fresh leaves are green, coppery brown, or something in between.
Time of blooming
Most cherry tree varieties carry blossoms in spring. Yaezakura, i.e. cherry trees with blossoms of more than five petals, are typically the last ones to open their blossoms, with blooming periods about two to four weeks after most five-petaled species. Some extreme varieties bloom in late autumn and during the winter months. Read more about when cherry trees are in bloom.
Form of the tree
Cherry trees display various growing habits and come in different shapes and forms: triangular, columnar, V-shape, weeping, flat-topped, etc. Weeping cherry trees are called shidarezakura.
Some popular cherry tree varieties
(mentioned blooming periods refer to Tokyo average)
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Somei Yoshino (Yoshino Cherry)
late March, early April
Cultivated during the Edo Period, the Somei Yoshino is by far the most numerous cherry tree in Japan. Somei Yoshino trees come with slightly pink, almost white, 5-petaled blossoms.
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Yamazakura
late March, early April
Yamazakura is a wild, native cherry tree variety of Japan, which typically grows in mountainous areas. The blossoms are slightly pink and have five, relatively small petals.
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Shidarezakura (Weeping Cherry)
late March, early April
Shidarezakura are weeping cherry trees, i.e. they have drooping branches. There are trees with blossoms of five petals and trees with blossoms of more than five petals. The latter are called Yaeshidarezakura.
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Ichiyo
mid April
The Ichiyo has about twenty, light pink petals per blossom. The fresh leaves are green.
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Ukon
mid April
The Ukon has about 10-20 petals per blossom and coppery leaves. Ukon trees are easily recognized by their blossoms' characteristic, yellowish color.
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Kanzan
mid to late April
Among the many yaezakura varieties, the Kanzan is one of the most numerous. One Kanzan blossom consists of as many as 30-50 pink petals. The fresh leaves are coppery brown.
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Fugenzo
mid to late April
The Fugenzo is a late blooming yaezakura with about 30-40 petals per blossom. White to slightly pink when they open, the blossoms turn into a darker pink over time. The fresh leaves are coppery brown.
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Shogetsu
mid to late April
The Shogetsu is a late blooming yaezakura with relatively large, white blossoms of about 20-30 petals. The fresh leaves are green.
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Kikuzakura (Chrysanthemum Cherry)
late April, early May
The Kikuzakura has as many as one hundred petals per blossom! It is also one of the latest blooming trees. In fact, by the time the blossoms are in bloom, the fresh leaves have already developed almost completely and are somewhat hiding the blossoms.
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Jugatsuzakura (Autumn Cherry)
October to January and spring
The Jugatsuzakura (literally "October Cherry") is one of the varieties that bloom in the autumn and winter. The flowers are small and sparse, but provide a surprising sight in combination with autumn colors or snow.
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Guide to Cherry Blossom Viewing:
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Any Questions? Ask them in our question forum.
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