- Most of the flowering cherry trees in local garden centers and nurseries originate from China, Japan and Korea. Japan is the country most associated with flowering cherry trees. The Japanese people have been using the trees in their celebrations and ceremonies for more than a thousand years. To the Japanese, the flowering cherry tree symbolizes the transiency of life. It is used in all areas of the culture, from the samurai to labels on candy.
- Since the Japanese have kept historical records of the flowering cherry tree festivals for hundreds of years, scientists have been able to piece together a climate map showing warming and cooling trends. The cherry tree blossom schedule is dependent on the temperature and so, by graphing out the dates of the festivals, researchers were able to reconstruct temperature fluctuations dating to the ninth century.
- In the early 1900s, there were only a few specimens of the flowering cherry tree in the United States. After a series of communications between a Japanese consulate and first lady Helen Taft, in 1909, Japan offered the U.S. a gift of 2,000 flowering cherry trees to plant along the Potomac River. Within days, arborists discovered the trees were diseased and infested with bugs; all were burned to stop the spread. Two years later, a shipment of healthy 3,020 trees arrived from Japan. In 1965, Japan sent 3,800 additional trees to first lady Lady Bird Johnson to help beautify the grounds around the Washington Monument.
- In addition to numerous festivals in Japan, Korea and China centered on cherry tree blossoms, several other countries hold celebrations. Denmark also received a gift of trees from Japan and conducts a two-day festival. Washington, D.C., hosts a two-week celebration; Macon, Georgia, claims to be the pinkest party on earth during its 10-day celebration of more than 300,000 blooming cherry trees. In New York City, the residents of Brooklyn hold a weekend festival in Prospect Park, while San Francisco offers a double weekend party and parade. In Canada, Vancouver's monthlong celebration spreads across 50 city parks.
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