Cherry blossom trees are famous for their beautiful pink and white flowers that bloom in the springtime! The cherry blossom is the national flower of Japan, where people call it “sakura.” There are about 400 different kinds of cherry blossom trees, and some special ones can have up to 50 petals on a single flower! When the wind blows, the petals fall from the trees like soft, pink snow, and it looks truly magical.
These pretty flowers do not stay in bloom for very long, usually only one or two weeks, so people love to have picnics under them while the flowers are still there. The most beautiful part, called “peak bloom,” only lasts about three days, which makes it extra special to see! After the flowers fall away, the tree grows green leaves for the rest of the summer. Some cherry blossom trees can live for a very long time. One famous tree in Japan called the Jindai-zakura is about 2,000 years old, which means it was already growing when ancient Romans walked the Earth!