Hastings-Sunrise

Shiro-fugen sharing road and blooming with Kiku-zakura at NE Turner and Nanaimo, April 19, 2020.

 

Three Kiku-zakura trees in bloom along north side of Turner, east of Nanaimo, at April 19, 2020.


One of them must yield space to an Avium shoot.

 

Linda Poole, the VCBF founder and executive director, sent me this photo of the 'Shiro-fugen' grove in Callister Park, across from the PNE.

 

Shiro-fugen in Callister Park, April 24, 2020.

 

Avium Plena trees along Venables, from Slogan to Kamloops are past peak bloom. White blossoms aging to brown. Recurved sepals with rounded tips. At April 27, 2020.

 

Four Shiro-fugen trees along front entrance of 76 Nanaimo Place, SE corner of N. Nanaimo and Oxford are just past peak bloom, getting red eyes and green leaves at April 27, 2020.

 

Young Shiro-fugen still has its youthful bronze leaves on SE corner of Nanaimo and Dundas at April 27, 2020.

 

A single Kanzan tree in Sunrise Park, April 2 4, 2020.

 

Kanzan closeup in Callister Park, April 24, 2020.

 

I'm posting the link to this video here, since it mostly features the 'Shiro-fugen' grove in Callister Park across from the PNE. It's a drone fly-over made in the last week of April this year, featuring 'Shiro-fugen' and avium 'Plena' in a few locations around town. Video Credit: @thepatweir
Vancouver Cherry Blossom Fest on Instagram: “One last blast of the blossoms! Video Credit: @thepatweir”

 

'Shiro-fugen' trees are still doing their thing in Callister Park, with the addition of some pink snow.


On the Oxford Street side of the park, starting at Kaslo, are a row along Oxford and then a few more 'Akebono' trees that were planted by the Parks Board in 2016 in honour of the 10th anniversary of the VCBF. We could still use a photo for our map when these are in bloom! I guess if I were to make them a festival favourite, it would help them get noticed, but it's a bit soon.

 

Janice Lin sent along these photos taken by Gako Lin on May 7 of the 'Kiku-shidare' trees on Turner Street east of Nanaimo.

 

December blooming does not mean global warming is upon us. 'Autumnalis Rosea' are supposed to have flowers now. They're 1cm in diameter, semi-double, pinky-white, and the trees are sparsely covered, so the flowers are easy to miss. They are much smaller than it would seem from this photo. This is from Nanaimo St at Parker, SE corner.


Right next to this tree, just to the south but also still in front of the corner store, is the 'Fudan-zakura' that has appeared here several times. There are some open flowers, 2cm in diameter, but very few. These are single flowers, very white. We have never determined when this tree really gets into full bloom. We know there are usually flowers in March, but we don't have a record of when they start to look in bloom. These few flowers don't count. It's normal for all the early spring bloomers to start opening up a few flowers in the winter (though they do usually wait until January). The one across the street is still there; the smaller one at the other side of the lane is all rootstock now.