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Cherry Jubilee
January 2007
Prunus 'Fudan-Zakura' (Photo by Kate Blumm, Courtesy of Brooklyn Botanic Garden)
What better way to appreciate the unusual warmth of this winter than to view Brooklyn Botanic Garden's "cherry jubilee"? Presently, there are five everblooming cherries (Prunus 'Fudan-Zakura') in flower at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, bringing an extra touch of magic to an already exceptional winter season. Though the everblooming cherries are expected to flower in late November, the amount of blossoms on the cherry trees at this time has astounded visitors to the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden. The trees are boasting thousands of flowers—instead of the couple of hundred that usually appear during the November bloom—thanks to the mild weather of the past several weeks.
Despite this extraordinary blossoming, the everblooming cherries will bloom again in the spring per their "regular" schedule, making this event a rare preview of New York's rite of spring, Hanami—the Japanese tradition of viewing and cherishing each moment of the cherry blossom season. During Hanami, visitors can witness the breathtaking cycle of flowering cherry trees—from the first buds to the brilliant blossoms to the petals falling like pink snow—and celebrate Sakura Matsuri, a two-day celebration of Japanese culture with over 60 events and performances.
Prunus mume 'Peggy Clarke' (Photo by Kate Blumm, Courtesy of Brooklyn Botanic Garden)
In addition to the five everblooming cherries, a Japanese apricot tree (Prunus mume 'Peggy Clarke') has sprung fragrant, bright pink blossoms that set off the bright blue winter sky, and Crocus and two species of snowdrops (Galanthus) greet the unseasonably strong sun with their flowers.
Brooklyn Botanic Garden has more than 220 cherry trees, comprising some 42 species and varieties. In its combination of size and diversity, this collection is unmatched outside Japan. BBG celebrates the beauty of the flowering cherry with Hanami, the annual cherry blossom viewing season (April 7–May 6, 2007), and hosts Sakura Matsuri (April 28–29, 2007), a festival celebrating Japanese culture.
In the meantime, if you're planning a visit to Brooklyn Botanic Garden, stop by the Visitor's Center. Many plants and trees have been coaxed into blooming by the mild weather. Find out where they are!
"…a tree at the northeast corner of the Japanese garden pond, crowned with thousands of delicate flowers, catches the afternoon sun and flings it back out in a cloud of silvery pink." —New York Times, 12/20/06
"At the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, it hardly seems like the dead of winter. Most cherry blossoms don't bloom until the beginning of spring when the winter chill finally begins to warm up. But there hasn't been a winter chill for most of the season, and for that reason, a cherry blossom tree was in practically full bloom on this the second day of January." —CBS-TV, 01/02/07
More Information
- Sakura Matsuri (Cherry Blossom Festival)
- Blossom Status Map
- Guide to the Cherry Tree Collection
- Prunus Portfolio
- Cherry Culture
- Sakura Matsuri Photo Album
Selected Press Coverage
- A Spring Hello? Cherry Blossoms Bloom In Brooklyn
WCBS-TV New York–New York,NY,USA
"At the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, it hardly seems like the dead of winter. Most cherry blossoms don't bloom until the beginning of spring…" - As Trees Blossom in NY, More Snow Out West
New York Times–New York,NY,USA
"Patrick Cullina, vice president of horticulture at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, said that the mild weather that began a few weeks ago prompted a Japanese…" - What winter? No coats, no snow in NYC
WRIC–Richmond,VA,USA
"At the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, cherry blossoms are in bloom. Horticultural taxonomist Mark Tebbitt showed off winter-flowering trees…" - Bizarre Warm Spell Heats Up
WNBC–New York,NY,USA
"At the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, the cherry trees were in full bloom and bulbs were already sprouting new green plants in flowerbeds…" - Temperature Could Soar To 70 Degrees This Weekend
NY1–Brooklyn,NY,USA
"At the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, officials say some cherry trees are already in full bloom, but weather experts say there is no reason for concern…"
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Contact Us
For more information, please contact Kate Blumm at 718-623-7241 (kateblumm@bbg.org) or Leeann Lavin at 718-623-7289 (leeannlavin@bbg.org).