CHERRY BLOSSOMS, PEACH BLOSSOMS OR PLUM BLOSSOMS
Well, It’s March again. We have been seeing signs of spring everywhere. The lovely small pink flowers are blooming now and decorating the streets of DC. Back home in China, many of these small pink flowers reminded me those peach blossoms or plum blossoms in the suburbs. I also remember that many beautiful ancient poems were made to ode these pink flowers, and we were learning the poems at school, and hoping to picture what the poets have described in their words.
After coming to DC, I discovered that these small pink flowers are not peach or plum blossoms but cherry blossoms. The cherry trees were originally given as a gift when Japan and the United States established diplomatic relations. Washington DC has then been hosting annual Cherry Blossom Festivals, which is now an event of the whole city, and the symbol of spring in the area. Interestingly, all three flowers look alike, and are blooming at the same time. I started to wonder if there is a way to distinguish them. Here are some interesting details from researching online. Apparently, the blossoms are slightly different from their peduncles, pedals, and leaves.
Pedicels:
A cherry blossom has a peduncle. There is a flower stalk connecting the cherry blossoms to the bridge, and usually there are several flowers blooming in clusters.
Plum and peach blossoms grow directly on the branches. Between peach blossoms and plum blossoms, plum blossoms have only one flower, while peach blossoms usually have two flowers growing together on the branches.
Petals:
Cherry blossoms: There are notches in the petals and a recess in the middle of the petal.
Plum blossoms: The petals are nearly round and small.
Peach Blossoms: The petals are melon seed-shaped, with a tip at the outer end.
Leaves:
Cherry blossoms and Peach Blossoms: They both have leaves or buds while blooming.
Plum blossom: There are no leaves when blooming. If there are leaves, it is not a plum blossom.
Finally, these blossoms may look alike at first glance, but with the details above, you will easily separate them apart. However, nowadays, there are many hybrids of horticultural varieties. Grafting peach, plum, cherry, and apricot is very common. So, it is ok if you cannot tell them apart, but let’s just enjoy what spring has brought to us in the moment!
Bonus question:
Which flowers are in the picture below?
Introducing Frosty Moon TM - 霜月: our in-house mooncake and sweets line by Chinese Street Market
李商隐《霜月》
初闻征雁已无蝉，百尺楼高水接天。
青女素娥俱耐冷，月中霜里斗婵娟
