A personal contribution to preserving trees on campus.

The deciduous woody plant grows to a height of between five and eight meters. It only begins to appear tree-like with age. The Japanese cherry flowers very early in the year. The white blossoms already begin unfolding their splendor in March and April.  During the cherry blossom festival in its East Asian homeland, it transforms streets, squares and gardens into a sea of white blossoms.

For the Japanese, the cherry blossom (jap. sakura) has been the quintessence of blossoms for centuries. The delicacy and simple fragrance of the blossoms symbolize purity and simplicity – traditional values of Japanese culture.

In the fall, the leaves of the Japanese cherry turn a vibrant yellowish orange to red in color. Only in very favorable locations, does it develop small, pea-sized black fruits. Although a non-native, wild form, the shrub is an important food source and habitat for bees, butterflies and caterpillars.