When the god of the mountains invited Ninigi, the grandson of the Sun goddess, to marry one of his daughters, he decided that if he gave preference to the eldest, High Rock, the life of their descendants would be eternal and durable, like stones. But if he prefers the youngest, Blooming, then the life of their children, regardless of social status, will be beautiful, but short, like cherry blossoms. Ninigi chose Blooming and became the ancestor of the Japanese emperors.
The Japanese, annually contemplating the beauty of this amazing plant and looking at the fragility of its flowering, reflect on the fact that beauty does not last forever, and life is fleeting and fragile. Therefore, it very much resembles a crumbling sakura flower - although it is beautiful, it leaves too soon: it is not for nothing that cherry blossoms symbolize the frailty of life and the fickleness of existence.
Sakura is the name given to trees of the rose family, subfamily of plums (species: small-serrate cherry), most of which perform a purely decorative function: they bloom, but do not bear fruit (unlike other trees of its species, Japanese sakura is grown not for its berries, but for its flowers). There are 16 types of sakura and more than 400 varieties.
Despite the fact that sakura trees can be found mainly in the south of the northern hemisphere: in China, Korea, and the Himalayas, the largest number of trees of this type grows in Japan: nine out of sixteen species and a considerable number of varieties. There are especially a lot of someyoshino (white sakura with huge flowers) and shidarezakura (weeping willow) here - this color of sakura has a pink tint.
Sakura grows very well next to other plants of its species, which, depending on how they were planted, produce a different impression. For example, tree branches planted in parallel rows can intertwine with each other at the top, forming a blooming arch above your head - this looks especially chic if at this time the flowers have already begun to gradually fall and a person is walking on the carpet that the sakura petals created.
The height of the plant depends on its age, but is usually about 8 meters (but there are also taller trees, for example, one of the oldest sakura in the world, whose age is 1800 years, has about 24 meters in height).
The bark is smooth, cut across the entire surface of the tree with small horizontal cracks of a gray, green or red hue, and the wood of the tree is very flexible due to the high amount of resin in it.
The leaves are oval or spear-shaped with slightly serrated edges. When a sakura branch blooms, it is completely covered with flowers, mostly white or pink, with each inflorescence consisting of several double flowers, usually having 5 petals. The Japanese managed to develop species whose flowers contain about 50 petals, the diameter of which is about 50-60 mm - in appearance they even resemble roses, peonies, and chrysanthemums.
Sakura petals can be of different colors: white and pink sakura are common, but you can often see flowers in red, crimson, yellow and even green and variegated tones. Since sakura flowers bloom even before sakura leaves appear on the tree, it seems as if a huge number of delicate inflorescences are clinging to a dead and bare trunk (which is why the flowering period in Japan is also associated with rebirth).
When the sakura petals begin to fade, but have not yet fallen from the tree, and the sakura branch is overgrown with the first leaves, the plant looks extremely elegant and summery (the Japanese call it Ha-Zakura, which means “sakura with leaves”).
Few trees of this type bear fruit, and if they do produce a harvest, the sakura fruits (sakurambo) are usually very small, cherry-colored, have a large seed, tightly covered with thin pulp, and taste very sour and tart. They are sold in small boxes and are extremely expensive.
Flowering time
Cherry blossoms begin in January on the island. Okinawa (located in the south) and ends on the island. Hokkaido, thus moving north. The period when this tree blooms largely depends on its species: some plants begin to bloom in winter, others in late spring. For example, such well-known species as:
- Fuyu-Zakura - blooms in the last month of autumn;
- Yama-dzarkura is an early plant, blooms at the end of March;
- Someyoshino - in early April;
- Yae-zakura - in mid-spring;
- Kasumi-zakura - in early May.
When the flower fully opens, it remains that way for about a week. How long it will bloom depends largely on the weather and temperature - the colder it is, the longer you can contemplate sakura flowers. But strong winds and rain, on the contrary, will significantly reduce cherry blossoms.
Hanami Festival
Cherry blossoms in Japan are celebrated at the state level: the official opening of Hanami (“Contemplation of Flowers”) takes place in Tokyo’s main park, Shinjuku, and not only famous politicians, but also members of the imperial family take part in it.
During this period, numerous gardens, parks, squares and other places where cherry trees bloom are visited by a huge number of people; viewing is especially popular in the evening, when the sakura branch is very beautifully illuminated. While contemplating, people have picnics, relax, and often use the Hanami holiday for personal interests - they negotiate, strengthen contacts, and make new acquaintances.
Use of wood in everyday life
The Japanese make sour wine from the fruits of this plant or add it to rice during cooking. They also found a use for leaves and petals - they pickle them, after which the leaves are used as an edible coating for “sakura-mochi” sweets made from rice, and sakura petals do a good job as an odorous seasoning. During the holidays, they are often dipped in boiling water or green tea. When they come into contact with hot water, the sakura petals open and delight guests with their appearance.
Bonsai
Experts consider sakura to be an ideal tree for bonsai - it grows slowly, so having bought a young plant, you don’t have to worry that in a year or two it will have to be replanted outside, especially since the vertical growth of the tree will be restrained by constant pruning of new shoots and pruning of roots.
You can buy such a plant in special stores. A small cherry blossom tree looks the same as an older tree, only the diameter of its inflorescences does not exceed one centimeter (usually pink). When creating a bonsai, you must remember that the plant, although small, is alive, and not a stone, insensitive toy, and therefore, if it is not given enough attention or the wrong approach is taken, it may die.
The container for bonsai should be shallow and its diameter should be from 15 to 20 cm. Sakura bonsai prefers to grow on well-fertilized soil. It is advisable to add organic fertilizers to the soil a month before planting, nitrogen - simultaneously with planting, potassium and phosphorus, which promote the circulation of nutrients in the plant - in the summer. If the soil is poorly fertilized, the amount of humus should be from 8 to 12 g/dm3, and in a moderately fertilized soil it should be about five.
Japanese sakura loves good lighting, and therefore must be in a bright place (if it stands in the shade, there is a risk of powdery mildew). When looking for a place for a plant, you should take into account that it really does not like drafts.
Water the bonsai tree once a day (half a glass of water), less often in winter. The small plant is replanted annually, cutting off 1/3 of the rhizomes (branches can also be done, but don’t get carried away, since sakura doesn’t like that). If caterpillars, woodlice, red mites, bark beetles and aphids are found in the soil, you must immediately destroy them with insecticides, otherwise they will very quickly destroy the plant.
Sakura, or Japanese cherry, (Prunus serrulata) is an ancient symbol of Japan and a plant characterized by amazing splendor and graceful flowering. In fact, the name "sakura" hides several East Asian tree species, but they all have pink double flowers. Japanese cherry can reach a height of 25 m, the leaves are large, flowering occurs from March to June.
The meaning of cherry blossoms for the Hanami holiday
This day is celebrated with family, outdoors or in the park. In Japan, cherry blossoms bloom everywhere - near rivers, in the mountains, in the park. The festival of its flowering is called Hanami, and is a day off for all Japanese.
In the media, before the sakura blooms, it is covered on what day the holiday will fall and from where it will be most convenient to watch it. The process lasts from a couple of hours to several days. Hanami is very popular in the country, and some Japanese travel to cities to catch the cherry blossoms several times.
How is Japanese cherry different from others?
Japanese cherry trees grow quickly and can reach considerable heights. The width of its crown reaches about 10 m. Sakura differs from ordinary cherries in some biological features and requirements for cultivation.
Cultivation requirements and meaning of sakura
Japanese cherry blossoms begin in early spring. The tree is not able to withstand low temperatures - temperatures below 15 degrees are fatal for sakura. Trees should be planted only on humus soils and in well-lit areas.
The main purpose of Japanese cherry is to decorate the site.
Differences between sakura and ordinary cherries
The main difference between sakura and ordinary cherries is that Japanese cherries do not bear fruit. Sakura is an ornamental plant, cherry is a fruit plant. Japanese cherries also have fruits, but they are sour, small and not as tasty. The berries of ordinary cherries are tasty and are actively used for food.
Eating sakura fruits
Despite the peculiar taste of sakura fruits, they are used as food by the inhabitants of Japan. The fruit of the Japanese cherry is called sakumbo, and its color can be pink or red. Different plant varieties have fruits that differ in taste.
Sakura leaves are also used as food. They are pickled or salted like tomatoes. Sweets are wrapped in Japanese cherry leaves. The taste of the leaves is sour, spicy or salty-sweet. Another way to use them is as an addition to rice. Sakura fruits can be used to make jam and wine.
Main varieties of sakura
Modern varieties of sakura are created by crossing it with cherries (Cerasus yedoensis), (C. Lannesiana) and (C. Incisa). The most famous varieties:
- "Shirotae". The tree reaches a height of 4.5 m, the flowers are white, non-double. The variety is actively used in England and Japan. The homeland of cherries is England.
- "Hally Tolivett." Frost-resistant variety with a ball-shaped crown. The flowers are 4 cm, pink in color, the diameter of the inflorescences is 8 cm. The tree is propagated by green cuttings.
- "Kwanzan". One of the most famous varieties. The flower contains 30 petals, the color is purple. The downside is that the tree does not have longevity.
- "Kikushidare-zakura." The tree reaches a height of 5 m. The flowers are double, pink, and reach 6 cm in diameter. Of the minuses, cherries are not able to withstand severe frosts.
- "Amonogawa" The height of the tree reaches 8 m, the width is only 1.25 m. The flowers are numerous, pink, fragrant.
Sakura: care (video)
How to plant sakura in the country
Which must be carefully prepared - dried and washed. Planting is carried out in the summer, but can also be done in spring or autumn. If you decide to purchase a seedling, you should choose healthy planting material. Its planting occurs in April. The best arrangement of seedlings is 2x3 or 3x3 meters.
It is recommended to plant sakura on a slope. It is important that the place is lit, but the lighting is moderate so that the tree does not get sunburn. The acidity of the soil should be neutral, the best option is loamy soil.
How to care for a tree
With proper care, sakura takes root well in Russia. Moreover, its flowering occurs in April-May. Only those tree varieties that grow on the northern island of Japan can be planted in Russia.
Features of watering
Sakura requires not only watering, but also periodic spraying of the leaves. Particular attention should be paid to watering in hot summers. During the first three years after planting, while the root system is not yet fully strengthened, watering is carried out once a week. If it rains, there is no need to add moisture.
Fertilizing
Japanese cherry trees will not bear fruit if they do not have enough nutrients. The tree requires the addition of organic matter, nitrogen and potassium. The following amount of minerals is added per m2 of soil:
- medium in terms of the presence of soil nutrients - minerals 8 g, organic matter - 5 kg;
- poor soils – minerals – 16 g, organic matter – 9 kg.
Shaping and trimming
Sakura is pruned to prevent thickening. It is produced in the spring, before the juice begins to flow. Dry and excess branches are removed, and after the work is completed, the cut areas are treated with garden varnish.
Pruning work must be carried out carefully so that gum does not begin to stand out. To prevent the appearance of a sticky substance, the plant needs good drainage and proper watering.
Protecting the tree from pest diseases
If you do not protect the cherry from pests, the flowers will be damaged and the plant itself will develop slowly. In some cases, sakura branches begin to split. To prevent this, growths on the branches should be removed, and the cut areas should be treated with healing preparations.
Sometimes cherry trees suffer from drying leaves. This is a fungus that a mixture of sulfur and coal can help get rid of. A pest, for example, the ringed silkworm (Malacosoma neustria), can also provoke the appearance of fungus. The pest must be controlled by removing the branches on which it laid eggs. It will be necessary to collect caterpillars, as well as use insecticides.
Sakura in the country: planting (video)
Sakura is one of the most beautifully flowering trees on the planet. To grow an elegant plant you will have to work hard, but the result is worth it. Nowadays, everyone has the opportunity to admire cherry blossoms on their property, and not just residents of the Land of the Rising Sun.
A fascinating and very memorable event in Japan is the period when sakura blooms. The tree, a type of finely serrated cherry, is revered in this country as a symbol of female beauty and personifies the mystery of life.
Description of the plant
Sakura refers to varieties of East Asian cherry species whose double flowers are usually pink in color. You can often find this plant in China and Korea, but most of these trees grow in Japan. No wonder the second name for sakura is Japanese cherry.
The height of the tree depends on its age and on average does not exceed 8 m. Taller trees are usually of considerable age and are rare. The smooth bark is covered with numerous cracks of various shades. The leaves are oval shaped and have slightly jagged edges. Due to its high resin content, sakura is a tree with fairly flexible wood.
Flowers bloom on this plant long before the leaves appear. The inflorescences clinging to the bare branches of the tree consist of double flowers, each of which has 5 petals. The most common is sakura, whose flowers are pink or white, but sometimes red, crimson, yellow or green are also found.
Sakura blossom
This period is considered a real event in Japan. Cherry blossoms cover all parks, squares and city streets with pinkish foam. This color is a symbol of the spring holiday, representing the beginning of life. A blooming sakura tree gives you the opportunity to enjoy its beauty not only up close. Located at a distance, these plants look like pink and white airy clouds and look incredibly beautiful.
On cherry blossom days, hundreds of people flock to city parks to enjoy this beauty. Whole companies of them settle down right on the ground, having picnics. This period lasts no more than a week. It is during this time that holidays and weekends are planned so that as many people as possible can recharge themselves with the inspiring spectacle of the sakura tree blooming. Photos of these flowering plants often serve as decoration for many things and perform a decorative function. An ancient Japanese legend says that contemplating cherry blossoms prolongs life to a hundred years.
The duration of cherry blossoms depends mainly on weather conditions. At lower temperatures, flowers last longer. But strong winds and rain shorten this period.
Landing
Many gardeners in central Russia successfully grow this ornamental cherry on their plots. For it, you must definitely choose a place that is well lit by the sun, because sakura is a fairly light-loving tree.
The best time for planting is spring, when stable warmth already appears, or late autumn. For more abundant flowering, it is recommended to plant several different varieties at a time at a distance of 2 m from each other.
A mixture of humus and fertile soil is poured into the planting hole, then fertilizer is added - potassium and superphosphate, dissolved in 15 liters of water. After planting, the plant is watered and the area around the trunk is mulched with peat. In order for the plant to strengthen properly, this area should be kept clean in the future.
Care
Fertile soils with a high content of humus and sunlight are the main conditions for sakura to take root well. The tree does not tolerate various atmospheric pollution, dryness or, conversely, excess soil moisture very well. All this can lead to illness.
It is necessary to ensure that the soil contains sufficient nutrients. The tree signals a lack of potassium or nitrogen by sparse flowering and dropping leaves too early. Water the plant abundantly only during the period of active growth, then only to maintain normal soil moisture. Like many ornamental trees, sakura needs regular pruning of excess branches and damaged branches.
During the winter, young plants should be covered. Before the onset of frost, it is necessary to wrap the bases of the largest branches with covering material. Wood is treated to protect against pests and diseases several times a season. The first time it is sprayed before the buds begin to bloom, and the next time only 3 weeks after fruit set.
Diseases and pests
The sakura tree, the photo of which is simply mesmerizing, needs to be protected from pests and diseases. Otherwise, instead of this stunning beauty there will be bare branches with dried leaves and scanty flowers. Some varieties are susceptible to a disease in which branches delaminate due to growths formed at their ends. To avoid this, you need to cut off the growths in winter, lubricating the cut area with some healing agent. Sometimes the leaves on a tree, before they even appear, immediately dry up. A mixture of coal and sulfur, which must be used to treat the branches, will help get rid of this fungal disease.
Pests contribute to the development of many fungal diseases by clinging to the trunk and branches. The ringed silkworm, which appears during the flowering period, is very dangerous for sakura. To protect against pests that cause rotting of the root system, it is necessary to add special products to the soil.
You always look fascinated at photographs of the Japanese cherry tree - sakura, which blooms in the spring. When you talk about Japan, just a few words immediately come to mind: the land of the rising sun, Tokyo, geishas, samurai and, of course, sakura. It would be nice to be in Japan at this time, when the festival of admiring the blossoms of this beautiful tree takes place. It feels like a white and pink wave of flowers with a delicate aroma envelops you.
Perhaps you would like to plant such beauty in your garden? Let's try.
The main problem in our mid-latitudes is winter frosts, of which sakura is very afraid. That is why you can graft a sprig of sakura onto our winter-hardy cherry tree.
Budding (grafting) is carried out in mid-May, when the threat of spring frosts has passed, but summer heat has not yet set in. Using a sharp knife, make a small transverse cut on the bark of the rootstock, and then a slightly longer one longitudinally. Bend back the bark. Cut the peephole and part of the bark from the sakura cuttings. Carefully insert the eye into the cut of the rootstock, and wrap everything tightly with a strip of plastic tape. 2 weeks after vaccination, loosen the garter.
Whenever the cherries are wonderful flowers
Among the outstretched mountains there was always a fragrant
Day after day
So much love
We probably wouldn’t know such melancholy!
Yamabe no Akahito
If the sakura eye on the cherry tree takes root well and grows, then in the third year the pink beauty will bloom.
If you live in the southern regions of our country, then it is not necessary to plant sakura. You can simply plant a cutting and cover it for the winter, like the rest of the trees in the garden.
For sakura seedlings, choose a winter-hardy variety, for example, “Sakhalin Cherry” or a finely serrated annual 70 cm long with a well-developed root system. They buy planting material in the fall, after the leaves have fallen, and plant it in the spring, in April. Before planting, store the seedling in an inclined trench.
Place and soil
Sakura loves well-drained soil, light loams, with neutral soil. A good soil mixture for planting sakura will consist of equal parts of humus, compost, meadow and field soil. It is better to plant on a southwest slope. On the south side, the tree will suffer from lack of moisture, and in winter from temperature changes and possible sunburn. Sakura will not develop in the lowlands.
Landing
Dig a planting hole 45 cm wide, 35 cm deep according to a 3x3 m pattern. Sift the earth and mix it with soil mixture, fill the hole 2/3 full, install the seedling and fill it with soil around the post, forming a hill 15 cm high. Water it, cover it again with soil, a little tamp down so that the roots touch the soil well. Dig a stake and tie the seedling so that it does not loosen in the wind. Make a groove 10-15 cm deep around the planting and fill it with water.
How enviable is their fate!
To the north of the bustling world, cherries bloomed in the mountains.
Do not allow the soil to dry out during the period of bud formation and ovary formation, and also provide additional watering in particularly hot weather.
Feed the soil with potassium and nitrogen. Add humus (10 kg per 1 sq.m.) and potassium-phosphorus fertilizers (17-18 g per 1 sq.m.) to poor soil. In soils of average nutrition, the volume of fertilizers is reduced by half. It is good to combine fertilizing with watering.
Trim the sakura carefully, before the sap begins to flow, carry out only sanitary pruning, removing dry branches that thicken the crown, avoiding gum formation (formation of a sticky substance in places where branches are damaged). Treat the cut areas with garden varnish. Treat .
In early spring or 14-20 days after flowering, spray with nitrophen (200 g of the drug per bucket of water), which prevents the appearance of the fungal disease coccomycosis. And also to protect the sakura from ants, the trunk is coated with Vaseline so that insects cannot move on the tree.
For the winter, the sakura is covered: a trunk is tied, and the grafting sites are covered with agrofibre.
Sakura cherry
The aesthetic beauty of Japanese cherry has made it popular not only in Asia, but also in most European countries. Today there are 16 species and approximately 400 varieties. This diversity allows you to choose a specimen that is resistant to the climate of almost any region.
When choosing a specific variety for your garden, you should pay attention not so much to aesthetic features, but to resistance to the natural conditions of your region. An excellent solution would be frost-resistant species. In our country, the most popular are Kanzan and Kiku-Shidare.
Variety Kanzan
Known as small-serrate cherry, it is an upright branched tree, up to 10 m high. It can reach 5-8 m in diameter. Its crown is funnel-shaped, the branches grow quickly and droop slightly. The leaves are large, oval, bronze-colored in spring, glossy green in summer, 8-10 cm in size. In autumn they change color to yellow-orange.
The Japanese Kanzan cherry is considered to bloom profusely. The flowers are densely double, bright pink, and appear in May. Inflorescences of 2-5 flowers are located along the length of the branch. It has quite tasty fruits, slightly smaller in size than a simple cherry. Loves quiet, sunny places and moderately moist sandy-clay soil. Considered frost resistant.
Variety Kiku-Shidare
Also called weeping cherry or Japanese bird cherry. A small tree with drooping, arching branches and an irregular crown. 3-5 m high and up to 4 m in diameter. A plant with an average growth rate and an annual growth of 20-35 cm. Japanese cherry sakura Kiku-Shidare has large elliptical green leaves in summer and yellow-purple leaves in autumn. It begins to bloom at the end of March.
Dense inflorescences are located throughout the branch, hanging down to the ground. The fruits of Kiku-Shidare are edible and quite tasty, with sourness, the size of a small cherry. This variety is self-fertile and can be planted individually or in groups. Prefers soils rich in nutrients and light, moderately moist places. This Japanese cherry tree is frost-resistant.
Sakura cherry: features of planting and growing
It should be noted that sakura grows quite quickly and takes root well. But you should carefully select a place to plant it. A hill or a gentle slope that is well accessible to the sun and is located in the southwestern, northwestern or eastern part of the site is suitable.
In gently sloping lowlands, the plant may freeze. Please note that the ornamental cherry tree must be protected from strong winds by a fence or other trees. Sakura are planted at a distance of 1.5-2 m from each other. Warm early spring is the best time for planting. If planting sakura is scheduled for autumn, it is better to plant it in October.
An important condition for a well-developed flowering Japanese cherry tree to grow is well-chosen planting material. It is recommended to buy 70-centimeter-year-olds with well-developed roots.
Planting holes should be prepared in advance. You need to add a mixture of humus and top fertile soil layer, and before planting, fertilize it with a 3% solution of superphosphates and potassium phosphate. After planting, the tree is watered and the soil is mulched. The soil is processed carefully so as not to damage the roots.
Japanese cherry: proper care
Decorative cherries will delight you with their blooms for many years if you take their care seriously.
Watering
During dynamic growth and during the formation of buds and ovaries, the tree needs additional watering. The rest of the time, maintain normal soil moisture.
Top dressing
Japanese cherry reacts sharply to a lack of potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus. If the soil is poor, organic fertilizers are applied - 8 kg per square meter. Potassium and phosphorus are added per square meter at 18 grams.
Trimming
In the spring, dry and some old thick branches are cut off so as not to thicken the crown. The pruning area is treated with garden varnish to prevent the formation of gum.
Disease Prevention
In the spring after flowering, treat the crown with nitrophen (200 g per 10 liters of water). To avoid the appearance of aphids, it is recommended to treat the trunk with nettle tincture (1000 g of fresh or 400 g of dried nettle, pour 10 liters of cool water, leave for 24 hours). You can also use a decoction of wormwood (boil 500g of the plant for 10-15 minutes in 200 grams of water).
Preparing for winter
Before the onset of frost, the grafting site and trunk are tied with covering material, the trunk and large branches are tied with agrofibre.
Bottom line
The oriental beauty Sakura takes pride of place among perennial flowering tree plants. It is sung by poets and artists, and in its homeland of Japan it is considered a symbol of youth and beauty.
