Tamanawa-zakura (Prunus x yedoensis 'Tamanawa-zakura') flowers: Ofuna Flower Center (Kamakura)

Ume flowers quietly herald the stealthy arrival of spring with their modest beauty and fragrance, while sakura flowers let us know the prime of spring clearly with their magnificent splendor.

The ume flowers have already passed their days of glory and their elegant figures and aromas are beginning to fade quickly. Early-blooming sakura flowers are now appearing successively as the symbolic successors of spring flowers. Mercifully, it makes me forget the sadness of seeing the plum flowers fade away.

The Tamanawa-zakura is an early-blooming cultivar native to Kamakura City. It was developed in 1969 at the Ofuna Flower Center through a natural, accidental mating between the Somei-Yoshino zakura and early-blooming Ookan zakura. "Tamanawa" is the old name of the location where this flower center is situated. This beautiful flower born as a result of God's whim fully blooms from late February to mid-March.

Its distinctive features include a pale pink color similar to that of the Somei-Yoshino zakura and a long blooming period (approximately one month). As a spring flower representing Kamakura, it is widely planted in temples, shrines, and parks throughout this ancient city.

Tamanawa-zakura (Prunus x yedoensis 'Tamanawa-zakura') flowers: Ofuna Flower Center (Kamakura)

Under the lightly overcast sky, Tamanawa-zakura flowers are quietly beginning to open as if to timidly confirm that spring has just arrived here. These earliest flowers are modestly emerging into the chilly world and presenting their precious, ephemeral beauty to us.

The flowering of plants is a comprehensive phenomenon that occurs only when the plant’s memory of its environment throughout the year can satisfy its internal flowering requirements.

Flower buds grow quietly from summer to fall. In winter, the plant goes dormant and experiences cold temperatures. In early spring, the plants sense the increase of temperature and sunlight, which causes their buds to swell. Finally, the flower opens with the help of water in its flowering time.

Water promotes cell swelling in plants, causing the petals to expand by increasing turgor pressure. Water rapidly flows into the flower’s cells and expands their volume, which causes the petals to open and leads to full bloom.

Tamanawa-zakura (Prunus x yedoensis 'Tamanawa-zakura') flowers: Ofuna Flower Center (Kamakura)

 

Tamanawa-zakura (Prunus x yedoensis 'Tamanawa-zakura') flowers: Ofuna Flower Center (Kamakura)

Ume flowers quietly herald the end of long winter and the inconspicuous arrival of early spring, while Sakura flowers impress the upsurge of spring and the vibrant renewal of life. Spring is the spirited season refreshing every living thing with vitality, awakening it from its dormancy and ushering in a lively time of regeneration and regrowth.

I heartily welcome the fickle arrival of long-awaited spring winds. But I worry that its capricious nature might cause the newly-bloomed spring flowers to scatter prematurely. The spring weather is unpredictable, with wild fluctuations in temperature and sudden gusts of wind and rain showers.

Just as the various creatures that have eagerly awaited the auspicious spring winds, enduring the winter cold and hunger, I am watching anxiously the shifting passage of this beautiful season.

Tamanawa-zakura (Prunus x yedoensis 'Tamanawa-zakura') flowers: Ofuna Flower Center (Kamakura)

 

Tamanawa-zakura (Prunus x yedoensis 'Tamanawa-zakura') : Ofuna Flower Center (Kamakura)

The long-awaited season of rebirth and regrowth has finally arrived here. The flowers that beautifully adorn the springtime are beginning to bloom one after another to eagerly compete to be the first for receiving the blessed sunlight from the sun.

As if to be inspired by the lively chirping of birds which comes out of nowhere, the bright pink flowers of Tamanawa-zakura trees are blooming brilliantly against the glorious blue sky to celebrate the advent of the spring sunshine.

Tamanawa-zakura (Prunus x yedoensis 'Tamanawa-zakura') : Ofuna Flower Center (Kamakura)

Tamanawa-zakura tree was born at this Ofuna Flower Center. This variety is the result of the natural hybridization of Somei-yoshino (Prunus yedoensis) and Oh-kanzakura (Cerasus × kanzakura ‘Ō-kanzakura’) cherry.

It is said to have been artificially bred from the hybridized seeds of these cherry trees. The individuals which flower early were selected and bred as a new cultivated species of cherry trees. The Tamanawa-zakura is named after the old name of the place of this flower center, namely,"Tamanawa Village" of Kamakura.

Its propagation began in 1974 by cuttings and grafting the cherry trees, and this variety was registered with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan in 1990.

Tamanawa-zakura trees start to bloom in the cold of late winter from mid to late February. Their flowering season lasts about a month and their beauty can be enjoyed until Somei-yoshino cherry trees come into blossom brilliantly.

Tamanawa-zakura (Prunus x yedoensis 'Tamanawa-zakura') : Ofuna Flower Center (Kamakura)

No matter how I try to describe the ephemeral beauty of flowers in words, the result must be empty. In the same way as the impermanence of our living world, like just a momentary illusion, any flower blooms and then disappears in an instant.

The flowers of Tamanawa-zakura bloom about a month earlier than common Somei-yoshino-zakura flowers and have a long flowering period, which comforts the hearts of those who eagerly await the brilliant blossoms of the spring during the gloomy winter days.

Their petals are darker pink than those of Somei-yoshino-zakura flowers of spring and become a slightly darker pink as the flowering progresses before falling. 

This tranquil tone of the color enhances the virtue of modesty of the Tamanawa-zakura flowers which quietly keep blooming in the cold winter before the arrival of the true springtime.

Tamanawa-zakura (Prunus x yedoensis 'Tamanawa-zakura') : Ofuna Flower Center (Kamakura)

 

Tamanawa-zakura (Prunus x yedoensis 'Tamanawa-zakura') : Ofuna Flower Center (Kamakura)

 

Tamanawa-zakura (Prunus x yedoensis 'Tamanawa-zakura') : Ofuna Flower Center (Kamakura)

 

Tamanawa-zakura (Prunus x yedoensis 'Tamanawa-zakura') : Ofuna Flower Center (Kamakura)

 

Tamanawa-zakura (Prunus x yedoensis 'Tamanawa-zakura') : Ofuna Flower Center (Kamakura)

 

Tamanawa-zakura (Prunus x yedoensis 'Tamanawa-zakura') : Ofuna Flower Center (Kamakura)

 

Tamanawa-zakura (Prunus x yedoensis 'Tamanawa-zakura') : Ofuna Flower Center (Kamakura)

 

Tamanawa-zakura blossoms: Tsurugaoka-hachimangu

In every season, flowers bloom to secretly imply to us the true essence of the nature.

The exquisiteness and transience of every flower wake our deepest respect and heartfelt affection for the universe in which we are living.