Home - Cherry Tree Species - Whitcomb Cherry

The Whitcomb Cherry is a Higanzakura cultivar that is closely related to the Autumn Flowering Cherry. It is the earliest spring flowering cherry tree that I am aware of in Vancouver. The first blossoms which are dark pink open as early as late January and full bloom is around middle of March. The flowers fade from pink to a quite bright white before they fall.

Scientific Name: Prunus subhirtella 'Whitcomb'

Blossoms: 5 petals; dark pink, fading to light pink

Usual flowering time: February to March

Number of trees: relatively rare in Vancouver

Some Locations:

  • South side of Ash Street; between 45th to 49th Avenue (22 trees)
  • Bruce Street; between 37th and 39th Avenue
  • East side of Marguerite Street between King Edward and Nanton Avenue
  • Delamont Park at 6th Avenue (2 trees)
  • Devonian Harbour Park; on the north of Georgia Street pedestrian underpass (2 trees) and at Denman Street and Coal Seawalk (2 trees)
  • Queen Elizabeth Park; close to SE corner of Cambie Street and 29th Avenue (2 trees)

Current State of Whitcomb Blossoms as of June 2, 2002 :
Location
State
Expected full bloom
Comments
citywide
end of season
n/a  
Devonian Harbour Park
end of season
n/a  
Ash Street
end of season
n/a  

Pictures of the 2002 season:

Queen Elizabeth Park - Cambie Street and 29th Avenue
3 April 2002

A Whitcomb Cherry with downtown and Grouse Mountain in the background. As with most Whitcomb trees this year, this tree bears a lot of damaged blossoms probably due to the cold weather in February and March.

Queen Elizabeth Park - Cambie Street and 29th Avenue
3 April 2002

Some damaged Whitcomb blossoms.

Oakridge - Ash Street between 45th and 49th Avenue
28 March 2002

This is one of the best places to view Whitcomb Cherry trees in Vancouver. For about 100 meters, Ash Street is decorated by the early flowering Higanzakura cultivar. Unfortunatelly, many of this year's Whitcomb Cherry blossoms throughout the city seem to have been damaged by the cold weather of February and March which is reducing the intensity of the flowering Whitcomb trees compared to last year.

Kitsilano - 6th Avenue and Arbutus Street
27 January 2002

Whitcomb blossoms covered by snow.

Kitsilano - 6th Avenue and Arbutus Street
21 January 2002

Very early flowering Whitcomb Cherry trees.

Kitsilano - 6th Avenue and Arbutus Street
21 January 2002

Very early opening Whitcomb Cherry tree blossoms.

Stanley Park - Next to the golf course
13 January 2002

Very early opening blossoms of a Whitcomb Higanzakura.

Kitsilano - 6th Avenue and Arbutus Street
13 January 2002

Very early opening blossoms of a Whitcomb Higanzakura.