Cherry blossom The cherry blossom, or sakura, is the flower of trees in ''Prunus'' subgenus '' Cerasus''. ''Sakura'' usually refers to flowers of ornamental cherry trees, such as cultivars of ''Prunus serrulata'', not trees grown for their fruit (although ...

s play an important role in the American city of

Portland, Oregon Portland ( ) is the List of cities in Oregon, most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon, located in the Pacific Northwest region. Situated close to northwest Oregon at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, ...

. In 2024, ''

Country Living ''Country Living'' is an American lifestyle and home magazine published by the Hearst Corporation since 1978. The monthly magazine focuses on food, home renovation, home decor, DIY and lifestyle. The magazine hosts four Country Living Fairs a ...

'' ranked Portland number 24 in a list of the 30 best places for viewing cherry blossoms in the U.S. Portland also ranked second in '' Time Out'' magazine's 2024 list of the nation's 13 best places for cherry blossom viewing. The most popular site for viewing cherry blossoms is the Japanese American Historical Plaza at the north end of

Tom McCall Waterfront Park Governor Tom McCall Waterfront Park is a park located in downtown Portland, Oregon, along the Willamette River. After the 1974 removal of Harbor Drive, a major milestone in the freeway removal movement, the park was opened to the public in 19 ...

, which attracts thousands of visitors annually. Other viewing sites in the city include the

Portland Japanese Garden Portland Japanese Garden is a 501c3 nonprofit organization, cultural institution, and public attraction in Portland, Oregon. The Garden, which opened to the public in 1967, occupies 12.5 acres (5.06ha) in Portland’s Washington Park (Portland, ...

and Hoyt Arboretum in Washington Park, as well as

Reed College Reed College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Portland, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1908, Reed is a residential college with a campus in the Eastmoreland, Portland, Oregon, E ...

, the

University of Portland The University of Portland (UP) is a private Catholic university in Portland, Oregon, United States. It was founded in 1901 and is affiliated with the Congregation of Holy Cross, which also founded UP's sister school, the University of Notre Da ...

Laurelhurst Park Laurelhurst Park is a city park in the neighborhood of Laurelhurst in Portland, Oregon. The park was acquired in 1909 from the estate of former Portland mayor William S. Ladd. The City of Portland purchased the land in 1911, and the followin ...

Mount Tabor Mount Tabor ( ; ; ), sometimes spelled Mount Thabor, is a large hill of biblical significance in Lower Galilee, Northern District (Israel), northern Israel, at the eastern end of the Jezreel Valley, west of the Sea of Galilee. In the Hebrew Bi ...

, and Pittock Mansion.

History and viewing sites

The most popular sites for cherry blossom viewing are the Japanese American Historical Plaza at the north end of

as well as the

in Washington Park. Cherry blossoms are also found on the campuses of

and the

. There are approximately 60 cherry trees at Washington Park's Hoyt Arboretum. Among varieties in the arboretum is the Shirofugen cultivar. There are some cherry trees at

and at

. Pittock Mansion has cherry trees dating back to 1914. Cherry blossoms have also been displayed at Lan Su Chinese Garden. In 2023, the garden hosted a floral arrangement by local florist titled ''Cherry Blossom Celebration''.

Tom McCall Waterfront Park

The Japanese American Historical Plaza at the north end of Tom McCall Waterfront Park attracts thousands of people annually for cherry blossom viewing. The area has 100 'Akebono' variety trees donated by Japanese businessmen in 1990 who were members of the Japanese Grain Traders Import Association and worked in local offices. Describing the blooming season, writers for the ''

Portland State Vanguard ''Portland State Vanguard'', formerly known as the ''Daily Vanguard'' and ''Vet's Extended'', is an independent student newspaper for Portland State University, in Portland, Oregon, United States. Publishing The Tabloid (newspaper format), tab ...

'' said in 2023, "It's nearly impossible to visit the waterfront on a weekend evening and not find hundreds of others with the same plans, all strolling under the trees while admiring their beauty and filling up their camera rolls with social media-worthy photos." In 2015, the Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center hosted the exhibit ''Sakura Sakura'', to start the 25th anniversary celebration of the cherry blossom trees at Waterfront Park. In 2023,

Portland Parks & Recreation Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) is a Bureau of the City of Portland, Oregon that manages the city parks, natural areas, recreational facilities, gardens, and trails; properties that occupy more than in total. The bureau employs a total of 4,36 ...

issued a reminder that vehicles are not allowed on the park's sidewalks after someone used the trees as a backdrop for a car

photo shoot A photo shoot is the process taken by creatives and models that results in a visual objective being obtained. An example is a model posing for a photographer at a studio or an outdoor location. A photo shoot is a series of images that are taken, ...

Portland Japanese Garden

The Portland Japanese Garden has Yoshino cherry trees as well as a weeping cherry, which is planted in the Flat Garden. It also has an area called Cherry Tree Hill, in the Strolling Pond Garden. The garden has a cherry blossom tracker on its website. The placement of the trees was intentional. A staff member said, "They were specifically placed within certain sight lines and views, offering people prime opportunities to stop and take in their beauty." According to ''The Oregonian'', "In 2012, Mari Milgrim, a teacher of Urasenke Tradition of Tea ceremony, served tea in the ortland Japanese Garden'sPavilion Gallery to participants of the cherry tree planting ceremony, including Portland Mayor

Sam Adams Samuel Adams (, 1722 – October 2, 1803) was an American statesman, political philosopher, and a Founding Father of the United States. He was a politician in colonial Massachusetts, a leader of the movement that became the American Revolu ...

and Consulate-General of Japan in Portland Takamichi Okabe, as part of the nationwide centennial celebration of the

National Cherry Blossom Festival The National Cherry Blossom Festival (, ''Zenbei Sakura Matsuri'') is a spring celebration in Washington, D.C., commemorating the March 27, 1912, gift of Japanese cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo City to the city of Washington, D.C. ...

." In 2016, a writer for the newspaper said the trees at the park and the Portland Japanese Garden "are beautiful testaments to the Rose City's links with Japan".

References

External links

{{Commons category, Cherry blossoms in Portland, Oregon
The Historic Flowering Cherries of the Albina Tree Planting Program
City of Portland, Oregon
Where to Find Portland Cherry Blossoms

Travel Portland Travel Portland, formerly the Portland Oregon Visitors Association, is a destination marketing organization in Portland, Oregon, United States. Established in 1978, it is a private, nonprofit organization and the largest destination marketing orga ...

Cherry blossom Portland, Oregon

History and viewing sites

Tom McCall Waterfront Park

Portland Japanese Garden

See also

References

External links