Each and every spring, botanical garden enthusiasts eagerly await the arrival of the garden’s cherry blossoms. The flowering cherries of the Botanical Garden make their colorful debut in late March and typically peak in early April. I visited the garden on March 27 and April 3 to view the display in full splendor. Heralding the official beginning of the spring season, the cherry blossoms at the gardens delight passersby with their exuberant, yet delicate, beauty.
The garden features over 200 individuals in the genus Prunus, which contains a variety of ornamental flowering and fruiting plants. Originating in Asia from the Rosaceae family, the cherry trees at MOBOT will live for 30-40 years. The white flowers of the Yoshino tree are typically first to arrive. The vibrant and showy pink petals of the Kanzan tree blossom shortly after.
The weeping Higan Cherry tree is a crowd favorite. With dangling branches flush with pink florals, the weeping flowering cherries draw much attention around the Japanese Garden.
It is very interesting to note that the first cherry blossoms gifted to the United States would yield the trees at our botanical garden. In 1912 Japan gifted seeds and cuttings to the U.S. as a sign of friendship. To commemorate this event one hundred years later, the Consulate General of Japan presented cuttings from the original Washington D.C. cherry trees to MOBOT. Of the nearly 50 Yoshino cherry trees at the garden, 20 can trace their lineage directly to trees at our nation’s capitol.
Be sure to visit the botanical garden soon and view the cherry blossoms at their most abundant. I hope you will enjoy a peaceful garden stroll to soak in all of the warmth, color, and blossoming beauty of springtime!
To learn more about the flowering cherries of the botanical garden, visit to Missouri Botanical Garden website.
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Technical: Fujifilm X-T4 and XF 33mm f/1.4 R LM WR lens
