Though mainly associated with Japan, cherry blossom season is a widely anticipated event in cities around the world, a sign that spring has arrived, an opportunity for people to get out and enjoy nature's unrivaled beauty.
Right now, no city is more deserving of that message of hope and renewal than Wuhan, which has been under lockdown since January 24 due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Wuhan's cherry blossom trees are in full bloom right now – check out the 8KRAW video below:
One of the best places to enjoy them is Wuhan University, which is normally filled with cherry blossom admirers. This season, however, has been anything but normal.
It's nearly empty due to the ongoing lockdown, creating scenes of ethereal beauty.
According to Chinese state media, over 1,000 cherry trees are scattered across the university campus. Some of the oldest were gifted to the city by Japan in the 1970s, when China and Japan established diplomatic relations.
A cherry blossom is the flower from a Prunus tree. According to Encyclopaedia Britannica, Prunus is a genus of more than 400 species of flowering shrubs and trees in the rose family (Rosaceae). It has a number of economically important members, including the cultivated almond, peach, plum, cherry and apricot and many species flower prolifically and are grown as ornamentals.
Different varieties of cherry blossoms bloom at different times, but in general, most hit their peak at the end of March to the beginning of April.
Their colors may vary. The most common species of cherry blossom in Japan is the Somei-yoshino, also known as Yoshino cherry – a hybrid between two other species – and is known for its almost entirely white petals tinged with the faintest of pinks. The other species is the popular Kawazu-zakura – their blossoms are a stronger shade of pink.
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