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It’s no secret that cherry trees are some of the most beautiful ones that you can plant in your yard. There are many people who are in love with the way that cherry trees look, and it’s also nice to be able to harvest cherries from the cherry trees.
There are also many people who enjoy cherry blossoms for their overall beauty. A cherry blossom is truly stunning and can add so much aesthetic appeal to your property.
A lot of people get confused when talking about cherry trees and cherry blossoms, though. Is a cherry tree the same thing as a cherry blossom or is there a significant difference between the two?
Keep reading to learn more about both cherry trees and cherry blossoms. You’ll learn about how distinct these two trees are so that you can decide which one you’d like to place in your yard.
Cherry Trees and Cherry Blossoms Come From the Same Botanical Genus
The first thing to focus on is the fact that both cherry trees and cherry blossoms come from the same botanical genus. This doesn’t mean that they are the exact same tree, though.
Essentially, cherry trees and cherry blossoms are different varieties of cherry trees. A standard cherry tree might have more of a focus being put on producing delicious fruit while a cherry blossom places the focus on the flowers.
Over the years, people have produced many different varieties of cherry trees. There are going to be differences between these varieties that make them quite distinct despite coming from the same genus.
This is why cherry blossoms are so visually stunning. Cherry trees are very pretty in their own right, but cherry blossoms put the focus on the amazing display of the blossoms.
Understanding Cherry Blossom Trees
Cherry blossom trees are very popular for a good reason. They’re truly a sight to behold when they’re in full bloom.
If you know much about cherry blossoms, then you might be aware of how important cherry blossoms are to Japanese culture. Japan has been closely associated with cherry blossoms for many centuries now.
Cherry blossom trees are an ornamental type of cherry tree. There are quite a few ornamental cherry trees in existence, and some of these cherry trees can be found in the wild.
However, the cherry blossoms that are commonly used in festivals in places such as Japan are not found in the wild. These are actually cultivars that have been created for the specific purpose of making the most beautiful tree possible.
Cherry trees possess a mutable trait, and this means that they’re perfect candidates for creating cultivars. Japanese cherry tree enthusiasts have been making cultivars by crossing wild cherry trees for a long time.
They also artificially create cultivars by grafting and cutting cherry trees during breeding. They do their best to make ornamental cherry trees that will produce large flowers while also ensuring that they are incredibly fragrant.
This is a very interesting topic to be sure. In Japan, cherry blossom cultivars have been a part of the culture for over a thousand years.
The fact that cherry blossoms and Japan are so closely linked can be seen in the names that people give the trees. Many cherry blossoms are referred to as Japanese cherry trees or Sakura trees.
You’ll find that these ornamental trees have sacrificed the fruit aspect to increase flower production. People don’t harvest cherries from Sakura trees for the purpose of eating them.
Cherry blossom viewing has been popular in Japan for a very long time, and it eventually spread to the rest of the world. The tradition made its way to Europe in the late 19th century when an Englishman named Collingwood Ingram started studying and collecting cherry blossoms from Japan.
The United States started to become interested in cherry blossom viewing in 1912 due to receiving a cherry blossom tree as a gift of friendship from the Japanese government of the time. Since then, cherry blossoms have become ubiquitous in many places around the world.
Many Cherry Trees Are More Focused on Producing Fruit
Many of the popular cherry tree varieties that you will find will be more focused on producing delicious fruit. If you find a cherry tree for sale that doesn’t have the word “ornamental” attached to it, then it’s likely that you’re looking at a cherry tree that is meant to produce fruit.
Ornamental trees can produce fruit as well, but they aren’t meant to produce edible fruits for humans to utilize. The ornamental trees are just meant to be enjoyed and people appreciate their beauty.
Cherry trees that are meant to produce fruit will also be quite pretty. They’re not going to have the same large flowers that cherry blossoms do, but they will be aesthetically pleasing in their own right.
People who grow cherry trees might be more focused on the fruiting aspect, though. You might wish to grow a cherry tree on your property so that you can harvest cherries when the time is right.
There are many different types of cherry trees out there and not all of them produce fruit that humans can eat. Some produce inedible fruits and others will produce fruits that will be perfect for making a cherry pie.
You can do many different things with the cherries that you harvest from your tree. If you take care of the tree to the best of your ability, then you’ll be able to enjoy harvesting fruit from it for a long time to come.
Before you make the choice to purchase a cherry tree, it’s going to be wise to learn a bit about the type that you’re getting. Ensure that it’s what you want and understand the care requirements of the tree before planting it in your yard.
Final Thoughts
The differences between cherry trees and cherry blossoms should be more apparent now. In some ways, they’re the same, but they’re also quite distinct.
Cherry blossoms are cherry trees that have been cultivated to look as gorgeous as possible. They focus on producing big flowers that will be incredibly fragrant when they bloom.
A cherry tree can also be beautiful, but it’s going to be more focused on fruiting. This isn’t always true, though, since there are ornamental cherry trees that don’t quite fall under the cherry blossom classification.
Cherry blossoms are closely linked to Japanese culture and have been cultivated in Japan for a thousand years. The deep history of cherry blossoms is intriguing in and of itself, and the love of cherry blossom viewing festivals has spread to the rest of the world.
It should be easy enough to appreciate both cherry trees and cherry blossoms. They’re great trees that anyone would be proud to own.
Take the time to learn about cherry trees and cherry blossoms a bit before you decide to purchase one. You’ll want to be sure that you can meet the care requirements of the tree that you’re thinking of buying.
There are so many varieties of cherry trees and cherry blossoms out there. It should be possible to find one that will be suitable for your environment.
You just need to decide whether you’re looking for an ornamental tree or if you want to focus on cherry trees that produce delicious fruits. No matter what, you’re going to be happy with how the cherry trees look.
Lisa Bridenstine
Growing up with a mom who filled her home (inside and out) with all sorts of plants, Lisa got her start in gardening at a young age. Living now on her own with a home and yard full of plants (including an indoor greenhouse), she shares all the gardening tips she’s gained over the years.
