Akebono is shining in the sun across from the QE Duck Pond, along with a magnolia that's a complimentary shade of pink on April 8, 2020.
Mikuruma-gaeshi is in bloom, across from Queen Elizabeth Park, south side W. 37th, east of Cambie (between Kersland and Alberta) at April 12, 2020.
These three young Shirotae look like they're doing well on W. 37th, the south end of QE Park, just below the tennis courts, at April 12, 2020.
Not sure if these are actually 'Shirotae' or not. The flower certainly looks right, nice double longish stems. I did not get a scent, but i don't always get a scent from the Shirotaes. The new leaves are bright green and very toothy/hairy. What is confusing me is the growth habit. This one in a private yard close to the lane on Dinmont has a more upright habit?? I thought "Shirotoe" is more flat topped? pic from Saturday. 'Shirotae" as per Anne! thanks.
2 'Shirotae' across from the duck pond. Close to walking path up from Midlothian. These are also showing a bit of uprightness so perhaps post #205 is a 'Shirotae' too? Nice double flower, again no detectable scent but that might just be me, and not quite as bright green growth with hairy/toothy leaf edge, but these are more in the shade.
the 2 big 'Akebono?" across from the duck pond across the street as you go around the corner traveling north west, they are on the east side of the roadway. The map shows they are Akebono, but i didn't find the extra petal. there is a lot of separation of the petals which reminds me more of the 'Somei Yoshino', but no knobbies on the branches.
The 2 'Yae-beni-shidare' just above the duck pond close to the path on the south side of the path. these two were not in flower last week, but after all the sun this week they were almost fully out. I wonder if at the bottom of the hill there it is a bit of a cold sink so these flowers wait a bit before blossoming? As a kid (ok and as a parent) it was this hill that we tobogganed on :) thanks Anne :)
The grand dame on a beautiful sunny day. 'Some Yoshino' You can see some of the flowers are fading to that darker pink star in the centre.
This is an 'Akebono' on the hillside as you head up to the conservatory from the lower west side parking lot through the arch of 'SomeiYoshino'. On this 'Akebono' i found the extra petal!
Back to the mystery trees planted at the top of the reservoir around the fountain. they are in full bloom right now. Are they 'Somei Yoshino'? (see Annes' 194 post and Mirako 97 post) i would like to see that fading of the centre star to a rose pink, but i don't really see that. the flowers also seem a bit smallish? They have definitely faded to milk white. The new growth has pinkish tinge to it and the pedicels do have hairs. No evidence of the extra petal (staminode) so may not be 'Akebono' Maybe because it is so windy and exposed at the top of the reservoir the flowers are smaller? Its weird but the flowers remind me more of the Beni shidare flowers, smaller, but upright flat top, not weeping and white.... I'm thoroughly confused... I hope someone with better ID skills then me can figure it out :)
Go back in a week? I don't have any ID to offer except for 'Somei-yoshino'. I have seen a lot of 'Somei-yoshino' flowers that were 'Akebono' size this year, but they really should be smallish. 3 to 3.5 cm across is pretty small, and they all seem to get smaller as they age, though these are not very aged yet.
This lovely double pink flower on 29th and James st. South West Corner. Poor tree does not have too many live branches. Could it be 'Accolade'? but blooming a bit late, however it is prone to disease as Douglas states in his book. pg 12, The buds are a nice soft pink. Could it be "Takasago"? but buds are not as dark pink, but there do appear to be petaloids. Bud clusters also are not as tight from photo on pg 57 of Douglas's book. Could it be 'Ito-kukuri'? but again bud/flower clusters do not seem that tight. I couldn't get any close shots of the new leaves emerging.....or even if there actually were leaves emerging. Will need to keep my eye on this tree......
We're not doing 'Accolade' any more this season. :) I would guess a good-looking 'Takasago' (ha-ha, for grafted 'Takasago' around here). Can you go back for leaves?
I will. I park my car in this block when I go to hillcrest for my swim......but of course that won't be happening any time soon :( - Lisa
Wendy's misbehaving Ukon trees at Ontario and 18th Avenue are starting their bloom on April 13, 2020. One tree has flowers greener than the others.
I've noticed a few that are starting to blossom on yesterdays bike ride. I think we were along st Georges st, but no time to stop for photo. There was a group downtown, close to the cambie st bridge on ramp for bikes, that was very out. again no time to take photo, i was already lagging way behind the rest of the family :( . hope to get back later this week for photos.
Check out my post for the Downtown Neighbourhood #346. If you were cycling from downtown over the Cambie Bridge, you would have likely gone south on Beatty Street looking into Beatty Mews before doing the left turn onto the bridge. On the bridge you might have been able to also see the Ukon in the median between Expo Blvd and Pacific Blvd with the big round wheel (a legacy from an old Cambie Street bridge) and then Akebono in Coopers Park which are pretty much done now.
