It’s that time of year for the sakura (flowering cherry trees) to bloom in Hawai’i. Sakura? In Hawai’i? The answer of course is “yes”! The plant in question is the Formosan (Taiwan) Cherry (Prunus (sometimes called genus Cerasus) campanulata) and was introduced to cooler parts of Hawai’i from Okinawa. Called kanzakura (カンヒザクラ/ 寒緋桜) this is the warmest climate adapted species found in Japan. Although it will survive at lower elevations, it typically will only bloom if it is growing where the temperature drops below around 7 to 10C (45 to 50F). Flowering examples exist in Koke’e, Kaua’I, Wahiawa, O’ahu, and Waimea, Hawai’i (there may be some on Maui too). This species is considered an invasive species in New Zealand, but because of the warmer overall climate in Hawai’i, it can’t spread naturally, since fruiting/seeding is restricted to specific, rare climate zones, and there are fewer seed transporting vectors here.
The trees pictured are along the upper part of California Avenue. The first obvious sakura trees are on the left (while heading uphill) at Leilehua high, then between Ko’iko’i and Kalie streets. These were not in bloom today. The temperature probably didn’t dip low enough this year for those to enter a flowering cycle. The first major blooms are the perimeter planting of young trees in the streetside playlot of ‘Ili’ahi elementary. Those were heavily backlit this morning, and were high up on the spindly trees, so I bypassed them. The fullest accessible blooms were around the right bend (plug 21.50819,-157.995651 into your preferred map browser) overhanging the street. There are numerous large trees along the upper extent of Karsten Drive, but they either weren’t blooming or were blooming sparsely. The Karsten trees were heavily lichen-covered and looked unhealthy and in need of pruning, so maybe this is the best they get. Here and there were isolated blooming trees, but most were deep in people’s yards.
All of the trees except the ones on school grounds are growing on private property. Although the trees rooted behind the property line that overhang the public right-of-way and street are legally fair game, don’t be an ass and pick them – leave them for everyone to enjoy! This part of Wahiawa does not have county standard roads, so there are few places to pull over and park. Avoid parking on people’s neatly manicured lawns and pissing them off. If the three obvious parking spots are full, continue up the street past the left turn and park alongside the Army fence where you won’t block the street. This is a quiet residential neighborhood, so avoid making a racket and don’t loiter too long in front of the houses and make the residents uncomfortable. I’m sure the residents appreciate that everyone enjoys their efforts in cultivating and maintaining these trees, but be a good neighbor and avoid alienating them so future generations can continue to partake in this seasonal event.
See all the gallery pictures here!
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