Stopping to smell the flowers It's cherry blossom time

Flowering cherry trees add to the scenery for passers- by to enjoy.

Arlene Marturano

Every spring thousands of cherry trees burst into bloom at the nation's Capital.

The tradition began in 1912 when the mayor of Tokyo presented Washington, D.C. with 3,000 of the trees as a sign of a budding friendship. The trees were planted along the tidal basin of D.C. surrounding the Jefferson Memorial and the east and west banks of the Potomac River.

The U.S. solidified the friendship by giving Japan dogwoods. When World War II displaced Japan's symbol of beauty, the U.S. donated rooted cuttings from the original cherry trees.

The life expectancy of ornamental cherries is 40- 50 years, so horticulturists had to get creative as original trees aged. They propagated new trees from original cuttings and developed new disease- resistant cultivars at the National Arboretum. In addition, Japan continued to give first ladies thousands of new trees.

Arlene Marturano is a master gardener, writer, and educator. As an advocate of gardening as a tool for learning, she helped develop the Carolina Children's Garden at the Sandhill Research and Education Center. She is an education consultant with T.E.A.C.H. marturano@yahoo.com

Dozens of cultivars of the ornamental cherry present an exquisite two- week display of pink and white blossoms during the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival. The Yoshino and Kwanzan are in greatest number and are two ornamentals well adapted to South Carolina gardens.

The Yoshino cherry, Prunus x yedoensis, can grow 40- 50 feet tall and wide, but is generally smaller. Fragrant single white or pink blossoms occur in early spring before leaves appear.

The tree is used as a lawn specimen, shade tree, or as a street tree and makes an impressive appearance in rows along property lines.

The Kwanzan cherry is a cultivar of Prunus serrulata, one of the showiest of Japanese cherries with deep pink, long- lasting double blossoms that contrast with green- bronze spring leaves. Leaves turn orange and bronze in the fall.

The Washington Monument, designed by S.C.'s Robert Mills (see Business Page profile).

Both ornamental specimens are easily propagated from cuttings, and pruning is generally not necessary except to remove dead or diseased wood.

Cherry trees are, however, susceptible to aphids, borers, scales and mites.

Back in D.C., the Cherry Blossom Festival will continue through April 15 with daily celebrations of this flowering symbol of life and beauty. Highlights include walking, cycling, and boat tours through the flowering cherries, a kite festival at the Washington monument, a photography exhibit of Japanese gardens at the National Geographic museum, sushi and sake tastings, cherry blossom photo and drawing safaris, kimono exhibits and tea on the Potomac.

A Cherry Blossom Festival can be made at home by planting newer, more disease- resistant cultivars like 'Dream Catcher' and 'First Lady.'