Kwanzan Flowering Cherry
Prunus serrulata
Learn about the Kwanzan flowering cherry including when and why it was planted, how to identify it, and where to find it on campus.
Tree Facts
Traits
- Cotton candy double pink flowers in April that hang from the branches in clusters
- Leaves with serrated edges that are 4-8 inches long
- Upright branching and growth habit
- Doesn't produce fruit
Native Range
- None (horticulturalists developed this species)
Story of the Tree
The Kwanzan cherry trees on Capitol Campus, which stand along the aptly named Cherry Lane, were originally planted in 1932. Many have since died and required replacement because of disease or environmental conditions.
The Kwanzan is a cultivated variety of cherry blossom trees bred exclusively for ornamental purposes with species from Korea, Japan, and China. They are among the first blooms of spring on campus, but the Yoshino cherry trees tend to bloom one to two weeks earlier.
One Kwanzan cherry tree is dedicated to the memory of Senator Cal Anderson. Senator Cal Anderson was a Vietnam War veteran who became Washington's first openly gay state legislator. One of his priorities was extending the state civil rights law to include the LGBTQ community.
