
Photo credit: Geoffery Kehrig | Flickr
Vancouver’s cherry trees are dying.
But not to worry – It’s all part of the cycle of life. On average ornamental cherry trees live around 80 years. In city conditions, lifespans can average just 25-30 years owing to pollution and other issues, according to a great article in the Vancouver Sun by Jessica Barrett.
Many of Vancouver’s famous cherry trees – 37,000 of which are blooming right now – were originally gifted by the cities of Kobe and Yokohama, Japan, in the 1930s. A second wave of planting occurred in the 1950s, when the park board removed many of the larger elms and maples along city streets, whose roots were damaging sidewalks and sewers.
In other words, Vancouver has a lot of geriatric cherry trees on its hands. Continue reading:
New Hope for Vancouver’s Dying Cherry Trees