What straggly tree with small pink flowers would be in full bloom now (December 2) in Nanaimo. It looks like a cherry or plum but not particularly attractive.
My neighbours used to tell me about "cherry trees" in bloom in the winter. They were always talking about Viburnum x bodnantense. Do the flowers look like this? They should be fragrant. It's a shrub, so should have a lot of stems from the ground, not a single trunk like a tree.
That could be it. I remember now that V. x bodnantense is often mistaken for a cherry blooming before the new year. The one I saw is on a single trunk but I'll bet it's a viburnum. It's right beside a busy road though, so I can't check for fragrance.
I will. When I'm back that way again, I will try to find parking close to it so I can take a better look and a photo.
