Page 43 - Растения Сахалинской области в легендах и мифах

Prunus sachalinensis

(Cerasus sargentii (Rehd.) Pojark.

(Syn. Cerasus sachalinensis (Fr. Schmidt) Kom.)

Deciduous tree, 8–10 m tall, up to 40 cm in
diameter, with dark brown, peeling and shiny

bark on the branches. Leaves are simple,
whole, petiolate, alternate. The leafblades
are 6–13 cm long, 3–8 cm wide, ovoid or
ovate-elliptical, rounded at the base, often
asymmetrical. Delicate pink flowers are
actinomorphic, 3 cm in diameter, collected
2–3 in umbrella-shaped inflorescences.
The fruit is a drupe, 8–10 mm in diameter,
spherical, blue-violetblack, shiny, sweet and

sour.
In the Sakhalin Region it is distributed
in the southwestern part of Sakhalin
Island (Tomarinsky, environs of Yuzhno-
Sakhalinsk, Dolinsky, Kholmsky,
Korsakovsky, Anivsky, Nevelsky Districts),
on the islands of Moneron, Kunashir, Iturup.

On the territory of Russia it was also noted
in the southern part of the Primorsky Region.
Outside of the Russian Federation, it is found
in the North-East China, Japan (Hokkaido
and Honshu Islands), Korean Peninsula.

When the Emperor and his wife were sailing their boat around the
beautiful lake, a cherry petal landed into his sake bowl, although no
cherry trees were bloomig around yet. According to an ancient legend,
when cherry trees bloom off season, a horrible plague might curse
the lands. So the Emperor ordered to prepare a new ritual to stop the
evil. So people started hanami — traditional custom of enjoying the
transient beauty of flowers. They believed that magical powers of their

gazes could prevent all evil spirits from causing harm.

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