Despite the gloomy weather, a hearty bunch of die-hard nature lovers gathered on Sunday afternoon, April 6th, to relish in the spectacular beauty of Marine Park’s cherry blossom grove (located at East 36th Street and Avenue U), in peak bloom – a very special treat that lasts only about one week, each year.
In their native country of Japan, cherry blossom trees are celebrated during Sakura festivals, and it is traditional for people to practice hanami (flower gazing), as they equate the delicate and short-lived beauty of the tree’s blossoms to the very nature of life itself. In fact, it was only in 1921 that Japan first shared these trees with the United States, presenting some 3,000 saplings as a gift of friendship, to be planted in Washington, D.C. where they continue to grace the Nation’s capital today.
Much closer to home, Marine Park Alliance Executive Director Scott Middleton welcomed the group to explore Marine Park’s very own grove, which, for many years, was composed entirely of several Yoshino cherry blossom trees, originally planted in the 1980s. They can be easily identified by their contorted trunks and iconic pale pink flowers. Only recently were a number of young Okame cherry blossom trees introduced, punctuating the landscape with their far more saturated deep-pink hues and straight trunks, as well as one example of the later-blooming Kwanzan variety.
NYC’s Director of Street Tree Planting, second-generation arborist and self-described tree nerd, Navé Strauss, led the group on an in-depth, educational journey through the grove, discussing everything from lichens on the tree’s bark, to their dark red, tannin-rich ornamental berries and the way each tree is selected for a particular area.
He explained how important it is to leave adequate space between a mulch ring and the tree trunk, how young trees need around 20 gallons of water a week to thrive and even passed around the delicate flowers of an Okame for closer examination. The group was mesmerized by the complex intricacies of the blooms and said they were blown away by Strauss’ tremendous wealth of knowledge on the subject.
To end the approximate two-hour event, a local resident, Yoko Miyamoto Sheridan, invited the group to form a circle under the canopy of the cherry blossom trees, hold hands and envision themselves rooted to the earth, as they made a collective sound – a tradition she explained would help to welcome the spring season.
To find a cherry blossom tree near you, please visit https://tree-map.nycgovparks.org/.
