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 original flowering cherries on the Capitol Campus were planted in 1932, but many have since died or required replacement because of disease or environmental conditions.
The Kwanzan cherry tree is a cultivated variety of cherry blossom trees bred exclusively for ornamental purposes with species from Korea, Japan, and China.
In 1912, 350 Kwanzan cherry trees were planted along with 11 other types of cherry trees at the U.S. Capitol as a symbol of friendship between the United States and Japan.
One of these trees stands with a Senator Cal Anderson Memorial plaque, commemorating the late senator. 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.
