Cherry Blossom in India

Indian Cherry Blossom tree is one of its kind, unlike Japan and other countries where cherry’s bloom during spring, Indian cherry blossoms bloom during the autumn season. Cherry blossom tree’s start to bloom in October and last till the end of November.

These Cherry Blossom trees are considered a gift from Himalaya. These grow in various Himalayan States like Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Sikkim & northern districts of West Bengal namely Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling, along with tropical highlands of Garo Hills and Khasi Hills in Northeast India where Prunus cerasoides is native to. However there is one city which is widely known for cherry blossoms. Shillong is the only city in India that hosts the Cherry Blossom Festival. The bloom marks the beginning of autumn in north-east India.

Cherry blossoms are widely associated with Japan and there they are known as sakura flowers. Hanami (meaning flower watching) is actually a tradition in Japan and the custom is more than a thousand years old. Families go to picnics during the sakura blossom season in Japan. The cherry blossom season in Japan typically happens during March-April. It is also a significant reminder of the impermanence of things because the cherry blossom season is very short and lasts only for around 2 weeks.