Other Spring Blossoms

It’s a treat to read all the spot reports of cherry blossom views as the wave of pink spreads south to north through Japan. In my region, we’re seeing 桜吹雪, sakura fubuki, the petals falling like snow.

In a Q&A, Genkidesu asked about favorite spring flower spots other than sakura. That got me looking again at my hanami outtakes - other flowers that bloom in March and April.

Scattered among the grove of cherry and plum trees at my local park are many flowering plants with blooming periods that coincide with cherry blossoms.

When I spied these pink and white flowers, I initially thought they were cherries, but they're in fact mokuren, magnolias.

Magnolias can be found all over the world, but most of the species originate in China. 

Yuki-yanagi is a native plant in China and Japan. They've got delicate white flowers on long spikes. 

Mitsumata starts flowering in February and goes right through cherry blossom season. They're fragrant, too. 

Azalea, called tsutsuji in Japanese, can vary in their blooming period. In the Kanto region, I've noticed some start in early March. I'm looking forward to their showy flowers in April when they are at their best.