History Relating to Cherries
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Cherry*
The word cherry refers to a fleshy fruit (drupe) that contains a single stony seed. The cherry belongs to the family Rosaceae, genus Prunus, along with almonds, peaches, plums, apricots and bird cherries. The subgenus, Cerasus, is distinguished by having the flowers in small corymbs of several together (not singly, nor in racemes), and by having a smooth fruit with only a weak groove or none along one side. The subgenus is native to the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with two species in America, three in Europe, and the remainder in Asia. *Wikipedia

The Rock-Breaking Cherry Tree
(石割桜 ishiwarizakura)

This astounding tree is an approximately 400-year-old cherry tree growing out of a granite boulder in front of the district courthouse in Morioka, Iwate in northern Japan. It is a ten minute walk from the Morioka train station. The tree is a natural treasure of Japan.

History of Cherries
Cherries have been cultivated for many centuries and the origin of our various varieties is often impossible to trace. ‘Sweet’ cherries are thought to have come from a wild cherry which grows in an area from the United Kingdom to western Asia. Since ancient times the trees with the sweetest fruit have been selected for cultivation and from these, the modern varieties have arisen.

The Romans are thought to have taken their preferred varieties to Britain when occupying the country in the 1st century AD. We’re now grown in large quantities in Italy, as well as in the USA, France, Rumania and Germany. In Japan, the cherry-flowering season has been celebrated for centuries, being an important time for religious and secular festivals at which people celebrate the coming of spring.

In Australia the first commercial cherry orchard was planted at Young in New South Wales in 1878. Young has continued to grow cherries since then and today, Young and Orange are the major cherry growing areas of Australia. However, South Australia and Tasmania also produce a lot of the cherries.

In China the cherry blossom symbolizes feminine beauty, the feminine principle, or love in the language of flowers. In Japan cherry blossoms also symbolize clouds due to their nature of blooming en masse, besides being an enduring metaphor for the ephemeral nature of life, an aspect of Japanese cultural tradition that is often associated with Buddhistic influence, and which is embodied in the concept of mono no aware.

The association of the cherry blossom with mono no aware dates back to 18th-century scholar Motoori Norinaga. The transience of the blossoms, the extreme beauty and quick death, has often been associated with mortality for this reason, cherry blossoms are richly symbolic, and have been utilized often in Japanese art, manga, anime, and film, as well as at musical performances for ambient effect. The band Kagrra, which is associated with the visual kei movement, is an example of this latter phenomenon.
There is at least one popular folk song, originally meant for the shakuhachi (bamboo flute), titled "Sakura", and several pop songs. The flower is also represented on all manner of consumer goods in Japan, including kimono, stationery, and dishware.

Cherry blossom is an omen of good fortune and is also an emblem of love, affection and represents spring. Cherry blossoms are an enduring metaphor for the fleeting nature of life, and as such are frequently depicted in art.
 

Cherry Treats
92 Main Street, Sheffield Tasmania 7306
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Email: info@cherrytreats.com.au
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