Kawazu cherry blossoms, which are famous for their early blooming, have begun to bloom.  Kawazu cherry tree is a hybrid of Oshima cherry and Kanhi cherry, and is a hybrid crossed with Kanhi cherry again.  It is a cherry blossom with a large flower derived from Prunus speciosa and early blooming with the color of purple-red petals derived from Prunus campanulata. Somei Yoshino, the most major cherry blossom in Japan, is in full bloom from early March (Kyushu) to late April (Hokkaido), while Kawazu cherry blossoms are in full bloom from January to March.  Kawazu cherry blossoms were discovered by chance in 1955 among the weeds along the Kawazu River flowing through Kawazu Town on the Izu Peninsula, and after being raised seedlings, they began to bloom in 1966 and were named “Kawazuzakura” in 1974. ..  Today, there are about 850 cherry blossom trees along the Kawazu River, and from now on until the end of February, a total of more than 8,000 Kawazu cherry trees will be in full bloom in Kawazu Town.

早咲きで有名な河津桜が咲き始めました。河津桜はオオシマザクラとカンヒザクラの雑種にさらにカンヒザクラが交雑した種であり、オオシマザクラ由来の大輪の花と、カンヒザクラ由来の紫紅の花弁の色と早咲きが大きな特徴です。日本でもっともメジャーな桜、ソメイヨシノが例年3月上旬(九州)～4月下旬(北海道)に見頃を迎えるのに対し、河津桜は1月～3月に見頃を迎えます。河津桜は1955年に伊豆半島の河津町を流れる河津川沿いの雑草の中で偶然発見され、育苗されて1966年から開花し始め、1974年に「カワヅザクラ(河津桜)」と命名されました。今では、河津川沿いに約850本もの桜並木があり、これから２月いっぱいまで河津町内の合計8000本以上もの河津桜が咲き乱れます。