Sakura (cherry blossom) - Sakura

Japanese: サクラ(桜) - サクラ

Among the trees of the genus Prunus in the family Rosaceae, those with beautiful flowers that are often appreciated are generally called sakura. They are endemic to eastern Asia and the Himalayas, and in Japan, there are the Yamazakura species, such as Yamazakura, Szechuanzakura (Ooyamazakura), Kasumizakura, and Oshimazakura, as well as the similar Chojizakura, Mamezakura, Minezakura, and Higanzakura, which grow wild. Kanhizakura (Hikanozakura), native to southern mainland China and Taiwan, is also planted in warmer areas. In addition to these, there are many horticultural varieties, which have been cultivated in Japan since ancient times for ornamental purposes, and these are collectively referred to as Satozakura (satozakura) regardless of their detailed lineage. The majority of these are Yamazakura species in the broad sense, and there are many varieties of Oshimazakura in particular. There are also many varieties that are thought to be hybrids with species other than Yamazakura species. There are single-flowered (Somei-Yoshino, Kanzakura), double-flowered, chrysanthemum-flowered, and two-tiered flowers, and a juvenile type (Wakakinosakura) that blooms from seeds in a few years has also been developed. Flower colors range from white to a deep pink, but some are known to turn green and yellow-green (Ukon, Gyoiko). Most have a single ovary, but there are rare varieties with two ovaries and some with leaves (Fugenzo, Ichiyo, Kanzan). Cherry trees have been loved and sung about in poetry such as the Manyoshu since ancient times. It is said that Sakon-no-sakura was planted in place of plum trees during the reign of Emperor Kanmu. Double-flowered cherry trees were already known in the Heian period, but many varieties were developed, especially from the Edo period, and many of them remain today. Its wood is important for use as printing blocks and is good for crafts, while its bark is used to make tobacco pouches and other crafts, as well as cough medicine. The flowers of the double-flowered variety are pickled in salt and drunk in hot water on special occasions, and the leaves of Oshima cherry are used to wrap sakura mochi (rice cakes). It is propagated by seed, grafting, cuttings, etc. It is sensitive to air pollution. Cherry actually refers to the fruit of the sweet cherry (Prunus avium), which is also a member of the Prunus genus.
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Source : Heibonsha Encyclopedia About MyPedia Information

Japanese:

バラ科サクラ属の樹木の中で花が美しく，観賞されるものを一般にサクラと呼ぶ。アジア東部〜ヒマラヤに固有で，日本にはヤマザクラ，エゾヤマザクラ（オオヤマザクラ），カスミザクラ，オオシマザクラなどのヤマザクラ系の種類と，これに似たチョウジザクラ，マメザクラ，ミネザクラ，ヒガンザクラが自生し，中国大陸南部，台湾原産のカンヒザクラ（ヒカンザクラ）も暖地に植えられている。　これらのほか，日本では古来観賞用に栽培されていただけに園芸品種が多数あり，これらはその細かい系統いかんにかかわらずサトザクラ（里桜），としてまとめられる。そのうち大多数は広い意味のヤマザクラ系のサクラで，特にオオシマザクラ系統の品種が多い。またヤマザクラ系以外のサクラとの間種と推定される品種も多い。花には一重咲（ソメイヨシノ，寒桜(かんざくら)），八重咲，菊咲，二段咲があり，また種子から数年で開花する幼型（ワカキノサクラ）もできている。花色も白色から，やや濃い桃色までが多いが，緑化して黄緑色となったもの（鬱金(うこん)，御衣黄(ぎょいこう)）も知られている。子房は１個が多いが，まれに２個のものや，また葉化した品種（普賢象(ふげんぞう)，一葉(いちよう)，関山(かんざん)）もある。　サクラは古来万葉集など詩歌にうたわれ，愛されてきた。ウメに代わって左近の桜が植えられたのは桓武天皇の時代といわれる。八重咲のサクラは平安時代にすでに知られていたが，特に江戸時代に入ってからは多数の品種が育成され，今日に残っているものが多い。用途としては，材は版木として重要で，細工物にもよく，樹皮はタバコ入れなどの細工物となるほか，これから咳(せき)止薬が作られる。八重咲の品種の花を塩漬にしたものは熱湯に入れて祝事に飲用，オオシマザクラの葉は桜餅(もち)を包むのに使う。繁殖は実生(みしょう)，接木，挿木などによる。大気汚染には弱い。なおサクランボは同じサクラ属の果樹オウトウ（セイヨウミザクラ）の果実をさす。
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