How Long Do Cherry Blossoms Last (And Why)?

Exact Answer: Two To Three Weeks

Flowers are loved by all in the world. Some flowers grow on plants, while some even grow on trees. People give and receive flowers for special occasions and also for sad occasions. Flowers comfort people, and they smell great too. Flowers are soft and symbolize kindness, hope, and peace in almost every culture in the world. The color of the flowers also means a lot. For example, people give red roses to their valentines, and white roses to the people they consider as friends. There are more than thousands of flowers in the world. Some bloom in the day, some bloom in the night, some are fragrant while some don’t exhibit any sort of smell.

Some flowers bloom throughout the year, but some flowers only bloom during a certain period. Some are only available during a certain time of the year, and one such flower is the cherry blossoms. Cherry blossoms are popularly known as Japanese cherry or Sakura. They are also the national flower of Japan since they are found widely in and around Japan. People normally confuse them with actual cherry trees that bear the cherry fruit because of their name, but cherry blossom trees are ornamental trees.

Another important fact about cherry blossoms is that they bloom only during a certain time of the year and their peak blossom period is just a week or two.

How Long Do Cherry Blossoms Last

How Long Do Cherry Blossoms Last?

The lifespan of cherry blossomsTime
The entire blooming period of cherry blossoms2 to 3 weeks
After the peak bloom period, the cherry blossoms start appearing in4 to 7 days
The blossoms stay on the tree for3 to 4 days

Cherry blossoms are flowers from the trees that belong to the genus Prunus, or any subgenus of Prunus. Cerasus is found widespread in the Northern hemisphere of the world. Many types of cherry blossom trees belong to the genus Prunus, and some of them include Oshima cherry, Kanzan, and many others.

Though they are found in every nook and corner in Japan, cherry blossom trees are also found in China, Russia, Europe, and even in some parts of the USA. They are wild cherry blossoms, some are large while some are small. Normally, cherry blossoms are in the color of pink and white, and they are beautiful to look at. That’s why they are normally found ornamental.

Cherry blossoms bloom and last for around two to three weeks, and the peak blossoming is just one week. Cherry blossom trees are about 25 feet tall and sometimes, in their native habitats, they even grow about 75 feet.

Why Do Cherry Blossoms Last That Long?

Normally, cherry blossom trees bloom during the spring, but when they bloom and how long they last can depend on the weather, the tree’s type, and much more. Sometimes, the blooming season can start as early as March, and sometimes it can start in April. The cherry blossoms will start blooming about 5 to 7 days after the peak blooming week.

After the peak blossom season, the cherry blossoms will last for just about 2 weeks. The cherry blossoms, after they completely bloom, stay in the tree for about 3 to 4 days before they fall off.

After this certain period, they start falling off, but the blossoms falling off also depends on the temperature, the weather, the type of the tree, and much more. Even the country its located in determines how long the blossoms stay in the tree.

Conclusion

There are some diseases that the cherry blossom trees go through, like leaf spot, lead curl, fireblight, root rot, and powdery mildew. There are also other things to take care of, like insects and pests. Cherry trees can last for about 16 to 20 years, but trees even last longer, for example, black cherry trees can live for even 250 years.

In some countries, it is even illegal to break off a branch or pluck a cherry blossom since they are kept ornamental on the roads and they only bloom once a year. Though all the cherry trees belong to the genus Prunus, cherry blossom trees belong to different species and their beautiful pink and white blossoms are edible.

References

  1. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jen.12881
  2. https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/graduate_thesis_or_dissertations/c821gp86d

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AboutNidhi

Hi! I'm Nidhi.

Here at the EHL, it's all about delicious, easy recipes for casual entertaining. So come and join me at the beach, relax and enjoy the food.

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