We've been stalking the great big tree on Malvern and Burris for almost a year now. Wendy thought it was 'Tai-haku' without even seeing a single flower last May. It is the Great White Cherry, in every sense of the name. Spectacular today! May 16, 2017 April 22, 2018 A friendly neighbour pointed out the Lions are visible if you walk up the street for a photo.
After the 'Tai-haku' stalking, Shirley Willard decided to take us to Burnaby Mountain, and the GPS lady told us to take Sperling. Maybe she knew there were 'Umineko' along that street running off and on for about 1.6 km, almost from Broadway to Union. That would only have been more exciting if they had still been in bloom. The sequence shown starts on the right, at the south end, moving north to the left. Towards the end of the run, just south of Union, was one 'Shirotae' on the west side, still looking pretty good. We were disappointed by what we saw at Burnaby Mountain. @Nadia White Rock posted the 'Somei-yoshino' trees in 2016 at Burnaby. They weren't all that white then, though the flowers appeared to be fully open. This time, I thought we had missed them entirely, but then we realized that our timing wasn't bad - the flowers were open and not past their prime, but there is so much witch's broom that there just are not a lot of flowers. The ground was not covered in petals or flowers. Shirley found them impressive-looking last May when she saw them after the flowers were all gone: Burnaby. Either we're totally missing something, or they have deteriorated a lot since 10 years ago when the festival used a photo said to be from there that was very impressive - we had lots of queries about the location. @Joseph Lin, was that your photo the festival used? Do you have a photo of these from back when they looked good?
This should be @Willard's posting, except that she was driving and I was photographing, but she's the one who figured out where we were and has placed a marker on the map. We passed a whole lot of 'Akebono' trees in an empty parking lot (well, it was Sunday, maybe it's a lot that's used), on Kensington north of Hastings. We also saw many more on some road leading to the Shellburn Terminal. On the road are 'Kanzan' for about a block. This little grove (three trees) of 'Shirotae' are already on the map, as a favourite, which point Shirley is questioning. I see there is a bus stop, so it's more accessible than I thought, though it didn't seem easy for us to stop once we saw them. Still, it's an attractive park-like setting, appropriate for these trees that like to spread their limbs. Seems like a nice photo-op to me.
Major excitement in Burnaby today. Shirley Willard and I discovered a nice street of 'Kanzan' cherries on Grant at Kensington, except for one combo with avium rootstock taking over. That wasn't the excitement - it was what we think has to be one 'Yokihi' tree, at 6606 Grant, amongst all those 'Kanzan'. If @Douglas Justice had not suggested we go see the 'Yokihi' in Oakridge after his walk last Sunday, we would not have had that cultivar in mind at all. But we both thought this looked like the tree we had just seen last Sunday - looks like 'Takasago', but no hairs; also no (or very few very small) phylloid pistils, and short flower stems. How does a tree like this get mixed in with a shipment of 'Kanzan'? Surely, that's what happened. It's not like there is 'Yokihi' stock lying around nurseries. We only know of three other 'Yokihi' anywhere.
We also found a single 'Ichiyo', at Grove Avenue at Georgia. This breaks my "rule" about 'Ichiyo' travelling in pairs. This is a very attractive tree, in peak bloom right now. At the south end of Grove on Curtis is a small group of maybe four 'Ama-no-gawa', giving the impression of one nice full tree.
At Burnaby North Secondary School on Kensington at Dunnedin you will find an impressive Viking and some equally impressive 'Kanzan'.
Power Cherry Scouting again with Wendy Cutler. Photographed here with 'Yokihi' in Burnaby. Always fun and always amazing what Wendy can find.
Three 'Shiro-fugen' and two horses at Burnaby Civic Square. Also a nice planting of 'Akebono' at the Square, finished blooming for the season.
At the small park on Patterson, north of Mayberry there are still 7 'Pink Perfection' trees. One of them is in pretty good shape, but the other 6 planted together look weak. But oh... the flowers are very showy and worth the trip. Wendy and I had our picnic lunch on a sunny bench in the same park while viewing the two 'Shirotae' still blooming. Great way to spend an afternoon.
Shiro-fugen which line the south parking lot of the Bonsor Recreation Centre. Photographed by Andy Phillips on May 1 2018 on Central Blvd east of Bonsor Avenue
I saw this photo on Instagram of many 'Akebono' trees on Dalebright Drive. Alyza Phillips on Instagram: “The only lasting beauty, is the beauty of the heart ” Could someone post photos here in the spring, please? The map needs a photo.
Judith Anderson lives a block over from this tree, has sent me this photo which she calls “Taihaku de l’automne avec portapotty “
Actually, the VCBF featured the photo on their Facebook page, so I think I'm allowed to take it now and post it here and use it on the map. Alyza Phillips took the photo. It was posted a few months later, so I don't have the date.
Oh, beautiful! But I wonder what cherries now blooming in Vancouver now, Wendy? Whitcomb started blooming in January this year. I feel it’s rather early. Then photos of snow came to the thread. Now Okames are blooming, aren’t they?
Mariko! Glad to see you still think of us. It has been so cold that not much has changed in a month. The West End 'Whitcomb' cherries opened a lot of buds, but they still have a lot of buds waiting to open. The 'Okame' I posted in Kitsilano are maybe 40% open, with UBC a little behind. I don't think there is anything open yet in Burnaby. The forecast shows above 10C degree temperatures a week from now. All the early cherries should open then.
The 17 Whitcomb cherry trees at Aubrey court (corner Ayshire and Arvin Court) are now fully open and buzzing with giant bees. Visit this week. Petals should start falling soon. (Note: Location is on top of a hill.)
The Okame at Charles and Fell is open. The small petals are starting to fall. There are two Akebono on the property, which gives you a chance to appreciate how different Okame is from any other cherry trees with its small dark flowers and long calyx tube. It's a rare tree so it's worth visiting. Quite a novelty!
Hi. I need help identify these two newly discovered cherry trees at the end of the cul-de-sac at Sherban (corner Holdom). They have purple dark flowers (like a Whitcomb) but the flowers are falling whole (like a Pandora). The centre is turning red. It could be a rancho, but there are no leaves coming out (at the moment anyway). Any clue? (I think f it was a Whitcomb tree, there would be lots of small petals on the ground like the Whitcomb on Holdom and Bucchanan, instead of whole floweres. The problem is it doesn't look like a Pandora either.)
Walk on Charles street (between Fell and Holdom) to see beautiful rows of 20 Akebono which will be blooming in the next few days. At the end of the street, you'll be rewarded by a beautiful view of Downtown Vancouver. This location is listed as a festival favourite.
Jessica, how exciting! You found some trees I thought were 'Shosar' one year: Burnaby These look similar to me, and the timing is right. Both locations could go on our map.
I see that I changed my mind right after I posted that that year and thought 'Afterglow'. Here are some flowers on Grant at Howard, quite nearby, maybe four trees [Edited] - I was totally wrong about the location - it was Fairlawn at Brentlawn. Do you think they look the same? They are definitely not 'Shosar'. The petals look so long and the flowers so large in my photo here, but I don't think they looked that way on the tree. I first thought of 'Pandora' because of the narrow petals, then 'Afterglow'. I tried but failed to take photos of the pedicels to see if they have hairs. Would you be able to do that on these and on the ones you posted? And get better tree and blossom photos for these? Here are some considerations: 'Shosar' - long lustrous red pedicels 'Pandora' - no hairs on pedicels 'Afterglow' - hairs on pedicels
