Title: Cherry Blossom

Credits: by khair (Author); source https://www.candlescience.com/fragrance/japanese-cherry-blossom-fragrance-oil; licence CC BY-SA 4.0

[Image: the Cherry Blossom Flower]

- A cherry blossom is a flower of many trees of genus Prunus.

- The most well-known species is the Japanese cherry, Prunus serrulata, which is commonly called sakura (桜 or 櫻; さくら).

- The cherry blossom is considered the national flower of Japan.

- Salt-pickled blossoms in hot water are called sakurayu, and drunk at festive events like weddings in place of green tea.

- Japan has a wide variety of cherry blossoms (sakura); well over 200 cultivars can be found there.

[Image: The Cherry blossom tree]

Where to find them?

Credits: by khair (Author); source https://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20m?kind=Prunus+serrulata; licence CC BY-SA 4.0

[Image: The Map of Cherry Blossom]

- They are widely distributed, especially in the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere
- including Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Mainland China, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Myanmar, Thailand and West Siberia.

Uses

Credits: by khair (Author); source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sakura_yu2.jpg; licence CC BY-SA 2.5

[Image: the Sakura yu2]

- The blossoms are pickled in salt and umezu (ume vinegar), and used for coaxing out flavor in wagashi, (a traditional Japanese confectionery,) or anpan, (a Japanese sweet bun, most-commonly filled with red bean paste).
- Salt-pickled blossoms in hot water are called sakurayu, and drunk at festive events like weddings in place of green tea.
- The leaves, mostly from the Ōshima cherry because of the softness, are also pickled in salted water and used for sakuramochi.

Credits: by khair (Author); source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sakura_yu.jpg; licence CC BY-SA 3.0

[Image: The cup of sakurayu]

Summary

Choose the correct statement about Cherry Blossom.

- A cherry blossom is a flower of many trees of genus Prunus. (correct)
- Cherry Blossom can grow anywhere around the world
- The cherry blossom is considered the national flower of Philippines.

- Cherry Blossom are found in the Northern Hemisphere. (correct)
- Cherry Blossom are found in the Southern Hemisphere.

- Salt-pickled blossoms in hot water are called sakurayu (correct)
- Sakurayu, are drunk at any events in place of green tea.
- Sakurayu can eat raw.