Sakura belongs to the subgenus Sakura of Rosaceae. It is the general name of all species and cultivated varieties of Prunus and Sakura. There are many kinds of cherry blossoms, more than 300 in number. There are about 150 wild cherry blossoms in the world, and there are more than 50 in China. Among the wild ancestors of about 40 cherry plants in the world, 33 are native to China. Others are varieties derived from horticultural hybridization. Each branch has 3 to 5 cherry blossoms in an umbrella shape. Petals have gaps at the top, and the colors are mostly white and pink.
Cherry blossoms are fragrant and gorgeous, with lush foliage. They are important ornamental trees in early spring and are often used for garden viewing. Can be planted on hillsides, courtyards, roadsides and in front of buildings. When in full bloom, the flowers are colorful and spectacular. Cherry blossoms can be planted in a large area to create a "flower sea" landscape; Can be decorated in groups of three or five in the green space to form a brocade group; It can also be planted alone to form a little red painting in evergreen shrubs. Cherry blossoms can also be used as street trees, hedges or bonsai.
Morphological characteristics of cherry blossoms
Cherry blossoms are trees, with a height of 4- 16 meters and gray bark. Branchlets are purplish brown, glabrous, shoots are green and sparsely pilose. Winter buds are oval and hairless. Leaf blade elliptic or obovate, 5-12cm long and 2.5-7cm wide, with sharp apex or tail tip, round base, thin wedge shape, sharp double serrations at the edge, sharp teeth with small glands, dark green at the top, hairless, light green at the bottom, pilose along veins, and 7- 10 pairs of lateral veins; Petiole length 1.3- 1.5 cm, densely pilose.
Inflorescence umbrella-shaped, peduncle is very short, with 3-4 flowers, the first leaf is open, and the flower diameter is 3-3.5 cm; Involucral bracts are brown, elliptic-ovate, 6-7 mm long and 4-5 mm wide, and both surfaces are pubescent; Bracts are brown, spoon-shaped, about 5 mm long and 2-3 mm wide, with glands on the side; Pedicel 2-2.5 cm long, pubescent; Calyx tube tubular, 7-8 mm long and 3 mm wide, puberulent; Sepals triangular-ovate, about 5 mm long, tapering at the top, lateral glandular teeth.