Several weeks before the start of the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C. the predictions and wagers begin: When will the flowering yoshino and kwansan cherry trees lining the Tidal Basin reach the peak of their bloom?

Columbia’s peak season for flowering yoshino and kwansan cherry trees may be later than usual due to the colder than average winter. Buds on my yoshino cherries show little sign of swelling. My trees came through an ad in the S.C. Department of Agriculture’s

Market Bulletin, a wonderful source of plants and seed for home gardeners. (http://agriculture.sc.gov/)

My intent in planting them was to simulate the effect viewed in D.C. albeit on a much smaller scale regardless of how fleeting the flowering might be or the short lifespan of most cherries. At 20 years of age some ornamental cherries are considered senior citizens. The genus Prunus to which cherries belong is susceptible to a litany of pests and diseases.

Prunus subhirtella “Pendula” is a graceful weeping cherry with faint pink blossoms. When you are captivated by the fragrance and billowy blossoms along the Potomac, you do not think about the maintenance needed to water, fertilize, prune, control pests, and replant. It takes a National Park Service crew of ten three months to prune the trees twice a year for maximum health and vigorous bloom. A non–profit foundation was created to raise funds for maintenance and replacement of 50–100 trees per year.

Scientists with the USDA and the U.S. National Arboretum have been involved in cherry breeding programs that not only assist the nation’s capital but also introduce new cultivars of flowering cherry to ardent gardeners. Over the years scientists have collected specimens in Japan and engaged in the breeding of cherries to improve a number of important factors including blossom color and duration, scent, growth habit, pest and disease resistance, lifespan, bark color, and tolerance to stresses such as pollution and drought.

Prunus subhirtella “Accolade” originated from a British breeding program. The U.S. National Arboretum recommends homeowners consider the following cultivars when purchasing new specimens

Prunus “Dream Catcher” – features single pink flowers

Prunus “First Lady” – dark pink pendulous single flowers, good disease resistance

Prunus sargentii – 40–50’ tree with deep pink flowers, late blooming, reddish bark

Prunus “Botanzakura” – cup–and–saucer–like double flowers resemble peonies

Prunus “Snow Fountain” – small white weeping cherry

Prunus serrulata “Shirotae” – large white fragrant flowers

Look for cherries that have year–round interest like Yoshina. The trees rounded spreading crown makes it an excellent shade tree in summer. Leaves are yellow in fall. Silvery bark with prominent lenticels is attractive in winter. And the blossoms enlighten and enliven us each spring.

Then let your family and neighbors predict and wager when your flowering cherries will reach the peak of their bloom.