Vancouver is home to more than 43,000 cherry trees, over 16,000 of which line city streets.Scroll for more...
Kwanzan, which typically bloom from mid-April to early May, are the most common type of cherry tree on Vancouver streets. Kwanzan have dark pink petals and mark the final phase of cherry blossom season.
Yew St. has dozens of Kwanzan trees. There are several other types of cherry trees in the park itself, including Akebono, Oshima and Somei-yoshino trees.
On W. 16th there are over 250 cherry trees, including Akebono, Kwanzan and Ukon. 16th has the most cherry trees of any street in the city.
Ukon means ’tumeric’ in Japanese and refers to the yellow colour of the flowers. Most commonly found in Mount Pleasant.
The city’s cherry trees have historical and cultural significance. In 1958, the Japanese consul donated over 300 cherry trees as a “memory of good friendship” between the two nations, many of which were planted along Cambie between 33rd and 49th.
Cherry trees were also planted in Oppenheimer Park in 1977 to commemorate the centennial of the first generation of Japanese who came to settle in Canada.