Grandview-Woodland

Rancho on both sides of Victoria Drive, north of Broadway, in full bloom April 2, 2020.

 

We'll have to update our conviction that while Takasago flowers are beautiful, the trees are ugly. This one just about wins the Takasago Beauty Queen contest. Single tree on north side of William, between Lakewood and Templeton, waiting for the Kiku-zakura to open on the same street, at April 16, 2020. Aging fast but still looks good.

 

Kiku-zakura isn't quite ready yet to open up on William Street (between Lakewood and Templeton). No matter, while we wait, here are their unique crimson, carnation-like buds at April 16, 2020.

 

That kind of knocks your socks off for 'Takasago'. Your posting of this tree that's linked to on the map (Neighbourhood Maps) shows the fuzzy leaves.

I agree - these have the best buds.

 

Ito-kukuri! SE corner of Lakewood and E. 6th. I spoke with the owner who just happened to be outside working in the garden. Sara says she bought the tree labelled "Ito-kukuri" at a BCIT sale about 4 or 5 years ago. They told her that it was not a graft but the result of a BCIT-UBC tissue research project. This is only the second year since the tree has produced blooms, and last year's flowers were not spectacular like this year. The trunk is barely thicker than the branches. At April 19, 2020.

 

Yes, I believe this is the same project that Douglas Justice was involved with and mentioned at a talk to cherry scouts a few years ago. Glad to see that there are tangible results. I wonder if the UBC Botanical Gardens also have a variety of specimens from this project.

 

Yes, they're in the Peter Wharton Cherry Grove, next to the parking lot. But you can't go see them this year (Well, I assume that the gate is closed). I have been trying to encourage Douglas to post photos. Since 2015, I've been posting photos in the Talk about UBC Botanical Garden forum.
Here is the 2019 thread, with links to some previous year threads - I think the 2018 thread has more of the trees.
Ornamental Cherries at UBCBG 2019

That's very exciting to see the 'Ito-kukuri'.

 

Kiku-zakura on Graveley, between Garden and Templeton are out at April 19, 2020. But all is not well in the Garden. At least two of the trees have been bitten by that snake, Avium.

 

Kiku-zakura along William Street (between Lakewood and Templeton) is now blooming at April 19, 2020. Oh dear, what is that little bit of white pushing through one trunk?

 

At first glance, this Ama-no-gawa is past peak bloom, and judging from the skirt of green around its base, past hope of escaping from Avium strangulation. But then you can see those are its own shoots emerging and flowering. It's going to be an Ama-no-gawa Freak for future scouts to keep an eye on. On the north side of Venables, just east of the traffic light at McLean, April 21, 2020.

 

Shiro-fugen at Commercial and Adanac don't look great, but at least they're hanging in there at April 22, 2020.

 

The Shiro-fugen park at Adanac and Salisbury has lots of elephant trunks (phylloid pistils) to make cherry scouts happy.
At April 26, 2020.

 

Kiku-zakura has new fans. The owners emerged from the house behind it and asked why people keep coming by to take pictures of this street tree in front of their property. Given a quick overview of the VCBF and cherry scouts, they're now keen to snip off any Avium shoots intruding on their Chrysanthemum Cherry. Buds at April 16, to this at April 26, 2020.

 

Anne, you're a hero.

 

Accolade on Charles st from Garden Dr to Templeton Dr , taken on 3/13 by Green club scout , Sunny Chen. Not pretty as last year.

 

Thanks to Amir Taleghani for putting a marker on the VCBF map for this nice-looking 'Akebono' on Victoria Drive south of 12th, and for sending along this photo. the marker is on the west side of the street, so in Grandview-Woodlands.

 

Despite the Avium girdle around its bottom, the Ama-no-gawa tree on the north side of Venables (at McLean Drive) is in full bloom at April 14, 2021.

 

I think that's one of the strangest positions for a Cherry I've ever seen. Is it a seed or planted Anne? I can't imagine anyone planting it there, but you never know... I suppose.

 

Being very fastigiate (narrow growing) trees, 'Ama-no-gawa' are commonly seen next to buildings. They look a little lost all by themselves out in the open. It's a beautiful cultivar, and as Anne said, it's grafted, so it's not a seedling.
I would not think that P. avium rootstock right up against the building like that is such a good idea, but I don't grow trees, have no idea if that all gets managed ok.

 

Perhaps it's me, but planting near a building, compared to this one hugging a building, seems rather bad planting. But you know these trees far better than I do, so I totally accept what you are saying.

 

Sara's new, young Ito-kukuri ("bundled with thread") is doing well. Nicely bundling its flower clusters with thread on April 18, 2021.

 

The Kiku-zakura trees on both sides of Graveley, from Templeton to Garden, are starting their bloom at April 18, 2021. The Chrysanthemum Cherry is noted for: an unmistakeable vase-like shape, dark-green head; the most beautiful cherry buds, like miniature crimson carnations; and a "secondary" storey of flowers starting in the centre (last photo) that will push a flower's final petal count to over a hundred. [kiku >Japanese for chrysanthemum; zakura/sakura > Japanese for cherry]


That second storey gives Kiku-zakura the edge in petal numbers over Kiku-shidare-zakura, the Weeping Chrysanthemum Cherry (shidare > weeping). If there is any confusion between the two, these pictures of Kensington's Kiku-shidare-zakura may help. #553

 

This is the Ito-kukuri on 4/17. Photos taken by Sunny Chen.

 

I've posted all the ones that have bloomed this year so far.
Ornamental Cherries at UBCBG 2021 | UBC Botanical Garden Forums

 

Here are the photos taken by Sunny Chen. She took the last chance of the travel restriction coming to Vancouver to see if Kiku-zakura shows up or not. The last blossom of the late blooming , Kiku-zakura , on William Street ,between Lakewood and Templeton is blooming now.
It means the cherry blossom is going to be end. How sad.