In botany, blossoms are the flowers of stone fruit trees (genus '' Prunus'') and of some other plants with a similar appearance that flower profusely for a period of time in

spring Spring(s) may refer to: Common uses * Spring (season), a season of the year * Spring (device), a mechanical device that stores energy * Spring (hydrology), a natural source of water * Spring (mathematics), a geometric surface in the shape of a ...

. Colloquially, flowers of orange are referred to as such as well.

Peach blossoms Peach Blossoms were a candy made by Necco at The New England Confectionery Co. in Revere, Massachusetts. They contained peanut butter wrapped in a crunchy shell. Contrary to their name and color, the flavor did not imitate that of a peach. They ...

(including nectarine), most

cherry blossom A cherry blossom, also known as Japanese cherry or sakura, is a flower of many trees of genus ''Prunus'' or ''Prunus'' subg. ''Cerasus''. They are common species in East Asia, including China, Korea and especially in Japan. They generally ...

s, and some

almond blossoms ''Almond Blossoms'' is a group of several paintings made in 1888 and 1890 by Vincent van Gogh in Arles and Saint-Rémy, southern France of blossoming almond trees. Flowering trees were special to van Gogh. They represented awakening and hope. ...

are usually pink.

Plum blossoms ''Prunus mume'' is an East Asian and Southeast Asian tree species classified in the ''Armeniaca'' section of the genus ''Prunus'' subgenus ''Prunus''. Its common names include Chinese plum, Japanese plum, and Japanese apricot. The flower, lon ...

, apple blossoms,

orange blossom Orange Blossom is a French band that plays a mix of electronic and world music. The band was formed in Nantes in 1993 with Pierre-Jean Chabot (known as ''PJ Chabot'') on violin and Jean-Christophe Waechter (known as ''Jay C.'') on percussions ...

s, some cherry blossoms, and most almond blossoms are white. Blossoms provide

pollen Pollen is a powdery substance produced by seed plants. It consists of pollen grains (highly reduced microgametophytes), which produce male gametes (sperm cells). Pollen grains have a hard coat made of sporopollenin that protects the gametophyt ...

pollinator A pollinator is an animal that moves pollen from the male anther of a flower to the female stigma of a flower. This helps to bring about fertilization of the ovules in the flower by the male gametes from the pollen grains. Insects are the maj ...

s such as bees, and initiate cross- pollination necessary for the trees to reproduce by producing fruit.

Herbal use

The ancient Phoenicians used almond blossoms with

honey Honey is a sweet and viscous substance made by several bees, the best-known of which are honey bees. Honey is made and stored to nourish bee colonies. Bees produce honey by gathering and then refining the sugary secretions of plants (primar ...

and urine as a tonic, and sprinkled them into stews and gruels to give muscular strength. Crushed petals were also used as a poultice on skin spots and mixed with banana oil, for dry skin and sunburn. In herbalism the crab apple was used as treatment for boils,

abscess An abscess is a collection of pus that has built up within the tissue of the body. Signs and symptoms of abscesses include redness, pain, warmth, and swelling. The swelling may feel fluid-filled when pressed. The area of redness often extends b ...

es,

splinter A splinter (also known as a sliver) is a fragment of a larger object, or a foreign body that penetrates or is purposely injected into a body. The foreign body must be lodged inside tissue to be considered a splinter. Splinters may cause initia ...

s, wounds, coughs, colds and a host of other ailments ranging from acne to kidney ailments. Many dishes made with apples and apple blossom are of medieval origin. In the spring, monks and physicians would gather the blossoms and preserve them in vinegar for drawing poultices and for

bee sting A bee sting is the wound and pain caused by the stinger of a female bee puncturing skin. Bee stings differ from insect bites, with the venom of stinging insects having considerable chemical variation. The reaction of a person to a bee sting may ...

s and other insect bites. MeihuaShan 1

Descending from China and south east Asia, the earliest orange species moved westwards via the trade routes. In 17th century Italy peach blossoms were made into a poultice for bruises, rashes, eczema, grazes and stings. In

ancient Greek medicine Ancient Greek medicine was a compilation of theories and practices that were constantly expanding through new ideologies and trials. Many components were considered in ancient Greek medicine, intertwining the spiritual with the physical. Specifi ...

plum blossoms were used to treat bleeding gums, mouth ulcers and tighten loose teeth. Plum blossoms mixed with

sage Sage or SAGE may refer to: Plants * ''Salvia officinalis'', common sage, a small evergreen subshrub used as a culinary herb ** Lamiaceae, a family of flowering plants commonly known as the mint or deadnettle or sage family ** ''Salvia'', a large ...

leaves and flowers were used in plum wine or plum brandy as a mouthwash to soothe sore throats and mouth ailments and sweeten bad breath.

Blossom festivals

is the Japanese traditional custom of enjoying the transient beauty of flowers; in this case almost always refer to those of the or, less frequently, trees. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland the National Trust organises the environmental awareness campaign #BlossomWatch, which is designed to raise awareness of the first signs of

Spring Spring(s) may refer to: Common uses * Spring (season), a season of the year * Spring (device), a mechanical device that stores energy * Spring (hydrology), a natural source of water * Spring (mathematics), a geometric surface in the shape of a ...

, by encouraging people to share images of blossoms via social media.

Gallery

File:Blackthorn in blossom.jpg, Blackthorn in blossom File:Apple Tree in Full Bloom.JPG, Apple blossoms in full bloom. File:Pear blossom.jpg, Pear blossoms in full bloom. File:Plum tree in blossom woodvale.jpg, Plum blossoms in full bloom. File:Blossom of Peach (4391499291).jpg, Peach blossoms in full bloom. File:Flowering crabapple in Washington DC.jpg, Crabapple blossoms. File:PikiWiki Israel 28684 White Lemon Blossoms.jpg, Lemon blossoms. File:Strawberry blossom.JPG,

Strawberry The garden strawberry (or simply strawberry; ''Fragaria × ananassa'') is a widely grown hybrid species of the genus '' Fragaria'', collectively known as the strawberries, which are cultivated worldwide for their fruit. The fruit is widely ap ...

blossoms. File:Blackberry Blossom - geograph.org.uk - 216207.jpg, Blackberry blossoms. File:شکوفه زردآلو، بهبهان .jpg, alt=Apricot Blossom in Behbahan, Iran, Apricot Blossom in Behbahan, Iran File:شکوفه درخت کنار، بهبهان.jpg, alt=Ziziphus Blossom in Behbahan, Iran,

Ziziphus ''Ziziphus'' is a genus of about 40 species of spiny shrubs and small trees in the buckthorn family, Rhamnaceae, distributed in the warm-temperate, subtropical and tropical regions of the world. The leaves are alternate, entire, with three promi ...

Blossom in Behbahan, Iran

References

External links

* * {{cite news, url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/17341878 , work=BBC Nature , title= In Pictures: Your blossoming spring + Plants

Herbal use

Blossom festivals

Gallery

See also

References

External links