The cold scarlet cherry blossoms, which began blooming in late February, are in full bloom now. They are named “kanhizakura” because they bloom their crimson flowers earlier than other cherry blossoms, during colder weather. In haiku, “kanhizakura” is used as a seasonal word for winter. These trees can grow up to 5-7 meters tall, and their petals fall off with the calyx intact after flowering, which is their distinguishing characteristic. Kanhizakura is widely distributed in China, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, and is mainly found growing wild in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. When it comes to flower viewing in Okinawa, kanhizakura is the flower of choice. Although kanhizakura is a cherry blossom species that thrives in warm climates and is not particularly cold-resistant, it can withstand the winter in areas west of the Kanto region and can grow in places other than warm climates.

２月下旬から咲き始めた寒緋桜が満開です。緋色の花を、他の桜よりも寒い時期から咲かせるためその名が付きました。「寒緋桜」は俳句では冬の季語として使われます。樹高は5～7mくらいで、花後に花びらは一枚ずつ散らず、ガクが付いたまま丸ごと落ちるのが特徴です。寒緋桜は、中国、台湾、東南アジアなどに広く分布していて、日本では沖縄県で多く自生しています。沖縄で花見と言えばその花は寒緋桜を指します。寒緋桜は暖地性の桜なので、寒さにそれほど強くありませんが、関東以西で冬越しできるくらいの耐寒性はあり、暖地以外でも育ちます。