Cherry tree: zakura vs. sakura

Discussion in 'Ornamental Cherries' started by Junglekeeper, Apr 23, 2017.

  1. Junglekeeper

    Junglekeeper Esteemed Contributor 10 Years

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    According to the book Ornamental Cherries in Vancouver, "jugatsu-zakura" is translated as "cherry of the tenth month". The word zakura, by inference, means cherry tree. In many instances it is part of a cultivar's name. How is it that this word is used when sakura is the Japanese word for cherry tree or cherry blossom? There must be a good explanation for this curiosity.
     
  2. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    From Japanese Flowering Cherries by Wybe Kuitert (Timber Press, Portland, Oregon, 1999), page 20:
    The s in sakura, the Japanese word for flowering cherry, becomes a z in the middle of a word, such as in 'Kiku-zakura'.​
    Kuitert had already explained that the Japanese do not use hyphens or spaces between the words, but we do to make them easier to read; there is no taxonomic reasoning for this. So Kiku-zakura would really be Kikuzakura, and the z is in the middle of the word.
     
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