Kanhi-zakura is in full bloom.  It is also called “Shogatsu-zakura(New Year’s cherry blossoms)” because it begins to bloom around the New Year of the lunar calendar.  The flowers are single-flowered in the middle, and bloom in a half-open shape that looks like a bell-shaped flower that closes downward, so it is also called “bell flower Sakuraka” in China.  “Kawazu Sakura”, which is famous for its early blooming cherry blossoms, was created by crossing this Kanhi-zakura with the wild Japanese Oshima-zakura.  Kanhi-zakura is a southern cherry blossom, and Hanami(the cherry-blossom viewing) in Okinawa means to appreciate this Kan-hi-zakura.  The “Sakura Front” begins to move north when Kanhi-zakura becomes a leaf cherry tree.

カンヒザクラが満開です。旧暦の正月あたりに咲き始めることから「正月桜」とも呼ばれます。花は中輪の一重咲きで、釣り鐘状の下向きに閉じたような半開きの形で咲くので、中国では「鐘花櫻花」とも呼びます。早咲き桜て有名な「河津桜」はこのカンヒザクラと日本の野生種のオオシマザクラを交配してできました。カンヒザクラは南方系の桜で、沖縄で花見といえばこのカンヒザクラを鑑賞することをいいます。カンヒザクラが葉桜になる頃から「桜前線」が北上を始めます。