1.
Somei-Yoshino cherry tree
The most common variety of cherry blossom tree in Japan (Prunus × yedoensis). Produces pale pink to white flowers and accounts for roughly 80% of cherry trees in Japan.
染井吉野が満開だ。
The Somei-Yoshino cherries are in full bloom.
桜の開花予想は染井吉野を基準にしている。
Cherry blossom forecasts are based on Somei-Yoshino trees.
染井吉野は江戸時代末期に東京の染井村で生まれた品種だと言われている。
Somei-Yoshino is said to be a variety that originated in Somei village in Tokyo in the late Edo period.
NAME ORIGIN:
染井 refers to 染井村, a village in what is now 豊島区駒込, 東京. 吉野 refers to 吉野山 in 奈良県, historically famous for cherry blossoms. The variety was bred by nurseries in 染井村 and named after both locations.
CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE:
染井吉野 is the standard reference tree for Japan's 桜開花予想 (cherry blossom forecast). When news reports say "the cherry blossoms have bloomed," they mean 染井吉野 specifically. All trees of this variety are clones propagated by grafting, so they bloom almost simultaneously in any given area.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 染井吉野の並木: row of Somei-Yoshino trees
- 染井吉野が咲く: Somei-Yoshino blooms
- 染井吉野の開花: blooming of Somei-Yoshino