Cherry blossom is the flower of the cherry tree or any tree from the genus prunus.
The beauty of this flower is very much appreciated all over the world but perhaps no more so than in Japan. Hanami, the practice of admiring the cherry blossom (known as sakura) has been followed for centuries. Many varieties of cherry blossom have been cultivated exclusively for ornamental purposes. The most popular variety of cherry blossom in Japan is Somei Yoshino distinguished by pure white flowers tinged with pale pink highlights.
The flower is widely considered to be a symbol of spring and certainly for us here in Virginia, nothing signifies the arrival of spring quite like the blooming of the cherry blossom trees and the three-week National Cherry Blossom Festival in nearby Washington DC.
More than 1.5 million visitors descend upon the Capital each year to admire the 3,000-plus trees. The festival, which runs from March 20 – April 15, is full of events that honor both American and Japanese cultures and represents a close bond forged between the two countries that began with Tokyo Mayor Yukio Ozaki’s gift of the trees back in 1912.
As well as it’s beauty, the blossom is also a popular perfume fragrance and can be found in brands across all markets from the Body Fantasies range found in Dollar Tree to high-end brands such as Jo Malone and L’Occitane. The majority of cherry blossom varieties have little to no fragrance; only a few varieties actually have any scent in their own right which is a very light floral that blends well with other fragrances. To enhance the fragrance of the blossom it is often blended with other florals such as peony, freesia or rose and subtle spices such as sandalwood and musk to add depth.
We use Crafters Choice Japanese Cherry Blossom fragrance oil in our recipes. The cherry blossom is blended with white lily, violet and vanilla to create a rich, strong fragrance which lasts but doesn’t overpower.
This bright, cheery herald of spring will feature heavily in our April box 🙂
Gill x