Spring in Vancouver is cherry blossom time.
Cherry blossoms, also known as “ornamental cherries” have been part of Vancouver for over a century. The first trees were donated to the City of Vancouver by the Mayor of Yokohama in 1925 and then again to UBC in the 1950s.
I am sure we all appreciate the beauty that these cherry blossom trees bring to our daily lives from March to May, but did you know that there are fifty-five different varieties, or cultivars, of cherry blossoms in Vancouver? In fact, cherry blossom trees make up fifteen percent of all flowering trees in Vancouver.
The campus community is particularly lucky to have approximately thirty different types of cherry blossoms and in my opinion, some of the best cherry blossom viewing spots in the city. Some of the local cherry blossom trees begin blooming as early as January, but I would like to introduce some of the most popular and recognizable cultivars that will be blooming around campus this month and through to May.
Akebono blooms from late March to early April. Last year these trees bloomed around April 2. Its flowers have five petals that start as pale pink but fade to white the longer they are in bloom. Some of the best places to view Akebono are Memorial Road in front of the Old Administration Building, Allard Hall on East Mall, Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre, University Boulevard and Lower Mall, the footpath through the sports fields between West Mall and East Mall, and Thunderbird Boulevard at Jim Taylor Park.
Somei-Yoshino is the most famous cultivar, and these trees bloom from late March to early April. Last year they bloomed around April 3. They look very similar to Akebono, with flowers that have five petals that fade from pink to white. The best places to view them are at the Chan Centre, University Boulevard and East Mall, Lower Mall from University Boulevard to Agricultural Road, and Thunderbird Boulevard by the sports facilities.
Blooming throughout April we have Shirotae. Last year these bloomed around April 10. Shirotae have large white flowers with five to twelve petals and green leaves. They can be seen on Wesbrook Mall next to Regent College; however, forty trees have been cut down due to construction. Hopefully the remaining ones will be allowed to live. Other places include Acadia Road and Osoyoos Crescent near Norma Rose Point School, and 16th Avenue near the Wesbrook Mall intersection.
And cherry blossom season doesn’t end this month. Kanzan normally blooms from mid-April to mid-May, having bloomed around April 24 last year. The flowers of this cultivar are bright pink and have approximately twenty-five petals. These trees frequently line roads in Vancouver, including Chancellor Boulevard, Acadia Road between University Boulevard and Chancellor Boulevard, Agronomy Road east of Wesbrook Mall, and Ortona Road opposite Norma Rose Point Elementary School.
So, this April and May, please pause and look at the white and pink blossoms around you. Take an intentional stroll to see the cloud of flowers overhead or the blanket of delicate petals covering the ground below. Just remember, cherry blossoms are susceptible to disease if their bark is damaged, so please do not swing on the branches or break off bunches of flowers.
If you would like to learn more about Vancouver’s cherry blossoms, you can visit the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival website at vcbf.ca/about-us. To get up to date information about which cherry blossoms are blooming when and where on campus, please check the UBC Botanical Garden forum for the campus neighbourhood at forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/ubc.36223.
KYRIE VERMETTE VOLUNTEERS FOR THE VANCOUVER CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL AS A “CHERRY SCOUT” IN THE UBC NEIGHBOURHOOD. SHE IS ALSO A PHD GRADUATE AND SESSIONAL LECTURER IN THE DEPARTMENT OF ASIAN STUDIES AT UBC.