Vancouver's Ornamental Japanese Flowering Cherries
Cherry blossom viewing in Vancouver takes place over several weeks, from early to mid-spring. Different ornamental cherries come into bloom at different times beginning in late February, early March with the Whitcomb Higan cherries. This is typically followed about one week later with Accolade cherries. As the Accolade petals start to fall like snow the show really begins with the Yoshino and then Shirotae cherries coming into bloom. Other Japanese flowering cherries like the Takasago, Tai-haku and Ukon follow closely behind. By mid-April we see the Kanzan and Mikuruma-gaeshi cherries coming into bloom. The show begins to wind down when the Shogetsu and Shirofugen cherries approach peak bloom.
The list below covers the common and not so common Prunus varieties found in our parks and on our streets and boulevards. The name links will take you to the Guide to Vancouver Cherry trees with a brief description of the tree.
The camera links will take you to photographs in the cherry watch gallery.
Prunus 'Accolade' - light pink semi-double flower (12 - 15 petals)
Prunus 'Amanogowa' - pale pink double flower (6-15 petals)
Prunus x subhirtella 'Autumnalis Rosea' (Higan Cherry) - pink double flowers
Prunus x subhirtella Autumnalis' (Autumn Flowering Cherry; Higan Cherry) - white to dark pink single or double flowers
Prunus pendula (Weeping Spring Cherry; Weeping Higan) - light to dark pink single or double flowers
Prunus x subhirtella 'Whitcombi' - 5-petaled purple-pink flower
Prunus x incamp 'Okame' - 5-petaled pink flower
Prunus avium - 5-petaled white flower
Prunus avium 'Plena' (Double Mazzard Cherry) - white double ruffled flower
Prunus 'Ito-kukuri' - light pink semi-double flower (20-30 petals)
Prunus 'Kanzan' - very showy large pink double flower (30-50 petals)
Prunus 'Mikuruma-gaeshi' - pink single and double flowers
Prunus 'Ojochin' - 5-petaled pale pink flower
Prunus 'Oshima' Cherry' (Prunus speciosa) - 5-petaled white to pale pink flower
Prunus 'Pink Perfection' - pale pink double flower with white centres (28-32 petals)
Prunus sargentii (Sargent cherry) - 5-petaled deep pink flower
Prunus 'Shirofugen' - pale pink double flower (20-36 petals) turns to white then fades to pink
Prunus 'Shirotae' (also known as Prunus 'Mount Fuji' and Prunus serrulata 'Kojima' ) - pure white double flower
Prunus 'Shogetsu' - pale pink, pleated and frilled double flower (22-25 petals) fading to white
Prunus 'Spire' (Hillier's 'Spire' Flowering Cherry) - 5-petaled light pink flower
Prunus 'Tai-haku' (Great White Cherry) - 5-petaled pure white flower
Prunus 'Takasago' (Takasago Cherry) - light pink semi-double flower (12-15 petals)
Prunus 'Ukon' - white with yellowish green double flower (5-14 petals)
Prunus 'Umineko' - 5-petaled white single flower
Prunus x yedoensis, Some-yoshino (Yoshino Cherry) - 5-petaled white flower. Blossoms emerge before the leaves.
Prunus x yedoensis 'Akebono' (also referred to as 'Daybreak' Cherry) - 5-petaled shell pink flower fading to almost white. Blossoms emerge before the leaves
Disclaimer: The content provided on this web site is for information purposes only. Although shuttermoments.ca attempts to keep the content of this Web site current, errors may occasionally occur. We will not know which trees have been removed by the City of Vancouver until we visit the parks and streets listed here during the blossom season. We have attempted to correctly identify the trees but we may have identified some trees incorrectly. Therefore, all information and materials are provided "AS IS."
In no event will shuttermoments.ca be liable for any indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of the use of the information contained on this web site.
Document reviewed 2011 November 23