The cherry blossoms were absolutely breathtaking. On the mountain, the flowers looked like little spots of snow amongst the trees. I also visited a cherry blossom festival with some of the teachers at my school and was amazed at how beautiful the flowers looked all together. That said, my spring allergies were certainly worsened by the pollen!
I learned that cherry trees can live in almost any temperate climate. In the United States, you can find cherry blossoms in Washington D.C, New York and Seattle, and most of these trees were gifts from Japan. For example, in 1912, the mayor of Tokyo gave 3,000 cherry trees as a gift to Washington D.C., and each spring our nation's capital enjoys their beauty and celebrates the special friendship between our two countries.
Cherry trees thrive in temperate zones or areas with generally mild temperatures. The flowers and plants tend to quickly wither away in extreme heat or cold. That's why even in Korea, the tree only goes into full bloom for a few weeks of every year, often during warm, pleasant spring days. We had a very hot day over the past weekend, and many of the cherry blossoms actually fell off the tree, making way for actual cherries.
Cherry blossoms remain relatively safe in Korea. Because of their aesthetic appeal and cultural value, it is unlikely that cherry blossoms will ever be purposefully eliminated. That said, like any plant, cherry blossoms are susceptible to invasive species, environmental disasters and climate change.
