Home - Cherry Tree Species in Vancouver The following is an attempt to introduce the most popular kinds of cherry trees of Vancouver. Please note that the list is incomplete and that scientific accuracy is not guaranteed. The flowering times listed below are with respect to the 2001 season which I believe was a relatively mild season resulting in relatively early flowering. (Flowering times for the 2002 season are about 2 weeks behind those of last year.) The list of locations is incomplete and shows some of the best locations that I am personally aware of.

Autumn Flowering Cherry Prunus subhirtella (Higan-zakura) 'Autumnalis' Blooming: October to March Blossoms: single and double, light pink Frequency: very few trees in Vancouver Click here for 2002 information and more locations. As the name suggests, the autumn flowering cherry blooms during an unusual season. The blossoms start to open in autumn and the trees are in realtive full bloom around January/February, but they never reach the intensity of spring flowering cherry trees. Some locations to view the rare trees are in front of Science World, at the Lost Lagoon (a few meters west of the bus station) and on the UBC campus, for example, in the median of Chancellor Boulevard close to NW Marine Drive or at West Mall close to the Asian Centre.

Whitcomb Cherry Prunus subhirtella (Higan-zakura) 'Whitcomb' Blooming: February to March Blossoms: 5 petals; initially pink, later fading to white Frequency: relatively rare in Vancouver Click here for 2002 information and more locations. The Whitcomb Cherry is related to the Autumn Flowering Cherry and is the earliest spring flowering cherry tree that I am aware of in Vancouver. The first blossoms which are dark pink open as early as late January and full bloom is around middle of March. The flowers fade from pink to a quite bright white before they fall. Locations to view the trees are Ash Street between Oakridge Centre and 49th Avenue, Bruce Street between 37th and 39th Avenue and around Stanley Park Golf Course.

Accolade Cherry Prunus 'Accolade' Blooming: March Blossoms: about 10 petals; pink Frequency: relatively rare in Vancouver Click here for 2002 information and more locations. The Accolade Cherry is a mix between Higanzakura and Oyamazakura. It looks similar to the Whitcomb Cherry and is also one of the earliest flowering cherry trees in Vancouver, about one to two week behind the schedule of the Whitcomb Cherry. However, the Accolade Cherry is a yae-zakura (blossoms with more than five petals), while the Whitcomb Cherry is not. Locations to view the beautiful trees are the pedestrian passage of Chilco Street between Comox and Nelson Street, and in front of The Barn Coffee Shop at UBC.

Shidare-zakura (Weeping Cherry) Prunus subhirtella (Higan-zakura) 'Pendula' Blooming: middle March to April Blossoms: single and double; light pink Frequency: quite a few trees in Vancouver Click here for 2002 information and more locations. There are quite a few Shidare-zakura in Vancouver, however, most of them are small and located in private gardens. There are two types of Shidare-zakura: one with blossoms of five petals (single flowers) and the Shidare-yae-zakura with blossoms of more than five petals (double flowers). The single flowered Shidare seems to start flowering a few days ahead of the Shidare-yae-zakura. There are beautiful specimen of both types of Shidare-zakura in a private garden on Yukon Street just east of the city hall. The nice little Shidare-zakura shown on the image to the left is located in Alexandra Park at Beach Avenue a few steps southeast of Denman Street. The largest tree that I am aware of is located at the corner of 13th Avenue and Fir Street.

Somei Yoshino (Yoshino Cherry) Prunus x yedonesis Blooming: late March to April Blossoms: 5 petals; white Frequency: very many trees in Vancouver Click here for 2002 information and more locations. The Yoshino Cherry is by far the most numerous type of single flowered (blossoms of 5 petals) Japanese cherry trees in Vancouver. Depending on the location and the year, they open in late March and early April and peak about one week later. Some great places to view Yoshino cherry trees are at the West entrance of Queen Elizabeth Park, the Rose Garden of Stanley Park, Burrard Skytrain Station and at UBC Lower Mall just south of Nitobe Garden as well as one large specimen inside of Nitobe Garden.

Shirotae Cherry Prunus serrulata 'Shirotae' Blooming: late March to April Blossoms: double; pure white Frequency: quite a few trees in Vancouver Click here for 2002 information and more locations. The Shirotae Cherry (also called Mount Fuji Cherry) is a yae-zakura with large, very white blossoms and bright green leaves that appear at the same time as the blossoms. Most Shirotae trees in Vancouver are quite small. Some locations to see the trees are on 1st Avenue between Burrard and Cypress Strees and in front, around Regent College at UBC and at the SW corner of Granville and Georgia Street.

Takasago Cherry Prunus x sieboldii Blooming: late March to April Blossoms: double; light pink Frequency: quite a few trees in Vancouver Click here for 2002 information and more locations. The Takasago Cherry is a yae-zakura (blossoms with more than 5 petals) flowering in April. It can be found mostly along streets, for example, at Beach Avenue between Cardero and Nicola Street, at 38th Avenue and Blenheim Street or Chestnut Street close to the Vancouver Museum.

Taihaku Cherry Prunus serrulata 'Taihaku' Blooming: late March to April Blossoms: single; white Frequency: very few trees in Vancouver Click here for 2002 information and more locations. The Taihaku ("Big White") Cherry has very large blossoms of 5 petals that flower in April. The tree species is very rare in Vancouver. There are a few specimen along Blenheim Street around 38th Avenue and along Burrard Street between 1st Avenue and Cornwall Avenue.

Ukon Cherry Prunus serrulata 'Ukon' Blooming: mid April to early May Blossoms: double; yellowish white Frequency: very few trees in Vancouver Click here for 2002 information and more locations. The Ukon Cherry is another late flowering yae-zakura (more than five petals). Its speciality is the yellowish color of its blossoms. As is the case with all late flowering cherry trees, the leaves of the Ukon Cherry appear around the same time as the flowers which gives the trees a less homogenous look compared to the earlier flowering cherry trees whose leaves do not appear until after the flowering peak. Ukon trees are very rare in Vancouver. One location to see a few trees is the median of 16th Avenue between Macdonald and Blenheim Street.

Kanzan Cherry Prunus serrulata 'Kanzan' Blooming: mid April to early May Blossoms: double; pink Frequency: very many trees in Vancouver Click here for 2002 information and more locations. The Kanzan Cherry is the most numerous type of Japanese cherry trees in Vancouver. Its blossoms consist of over twenty, dark pink petals which open around the middle of April. The short flowering period of a little more than a week is followed by beautiful blizzards of Kanzan petals that burry the cars parked below the trees. Kanzan trees can be found all over the city. They often decorate whole residential street blocks, and not seldomly for several consecutive blocks. Some Kanzan streets are Yew Street between Cornwall Avenue and Broadway, many blocks of West 7th Avenue east of Arbutus street, Granville Street between Davie and Robson Street, French Street between 70th and 72nd Avenue and many more.

Shogetsu Cherry Prunus serrulata 'Shogetsu' Blooming: late April to mid May Blossoms: double; pure white Frequency: very few trees in Vancouver Click here for 2002 information and more locations. The Shogetsu Cherry is one of the latest flowering Japanese cherry tree types in Vancouver. Its large, very white blossoms (over 20 petals) do not open until the end of April and early May. The color of the leaves that accompany the blossoms is a beautiful bright green. There are very few Shogetsu trees in Vancouver, and unfortunatelly many of them seem to be in a bad condition, producing only very few blossoms. Some trees in poor condition can be found on the west side of the small hill between UBC bus loop and the SUB building. A more beautiful specimen can be found at the shore of False Creek in a park west of Monk Mc Queens restaurant. Some young trees can be found between the apartment houses at False Creek between Monk Mc Queens and Cambie bridge.

Shirofugen Cherry Prunus serrulata 'Shirofugen' Blooming: late April to mid May Blossoms: double; white, fading to pink Frequency: few trees in Vancouver Click here for 2002 information and more locations. The Shirofugen is probably the last Japanese cherry tree to flower. The blossoms consist of over 20 white petals which later darken to a light pink. The leaves appear at the same time as the blossoms and are brownish. There are a few Shirofugen trees in Vancouver. Some locations to view Shirofugen trees are at the UBC bus loop, the golf course of Queen Elizabeth Park and the median of King Edward Avenue between Wallace and Crown Street.