A three-choice trivia quiz about cherry blossoms: a collection of quizzes to make hanami twice as fun

March 27

Sakura Day refers to March 27 and was established as a commemorative day in 1989 by the Japan Cherry Blossom Association. The date originates from gatherings held in the Heian period to appreciate cherry blossoms, and even today it is a day when many people enjoy and cherish the blossoms.

Edohigan cherry

Somei Yoshino is a cherry tree cultivar created by crossbreeding the Oshima-zakura and the Edo-higan varieties. It inherits the Oshima-zakura’s trait of large, rounded petals and the Edo-higan’s trait of producing leaves after the flowers bloom.

Because it will become prone to spoiling

As the proverb says, “Only a fool cuts a cherry tree; only a fool doesn’t prune a plum,” you shouldn’t indiscriminately cut the branches of cherry trees. The reason is that the cut surfaces are prone to rot. Some pruning is necessary, but you must carefully determine which branches can be cut and properly handle the tree after pruning.

Cherry blossom

Sakura is “cherry blossom” in English. It’s common to add an “s” to “blossom” and say “cherry blossoms.” Nowadays, since Japanese culture has spread around the world, “sakura” is sometimes understood as well.

sweet cherry

The cherries we eat are mainly harvested from a type of cherry tree called the sweet cherry (Prunus avium). Japan’s representative cherry, the Somei Yoshino, is an ornamental variety and rarely bears fruit. Even when it does occasionally produce fruit, it is not edible.

National Cherry Blossom Festival

Just like in Japan, the United States also holds an event during cherry blossom season called the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C. The event began after cherry trees were gifted from Japan, and it features exhibitions and performances that showcase Japanese culture.

6 or more sheets

Yaezakura refers to a type of cherry blossom that has more petals than ordinary cherry blossoms; if a blossom has six or more petals, it is called yaezakura. The number of petals varies by variety, but yaezakura is characterized by its very ornate appearance.