TheNaturePlanet

In spring, when flowers are in full bloom like a brocade, cherry blossoms and peach blossoms compete to bloom, often making it difficult for people to distinguish between them. Although they are both highly representative flowers in spring, upon careful observation, there are obvious differences between the two in many aspects.

In terms of flower morphology, the tips of cherry blossom petals have an obvious notch, known as "petal cleft", which is a relatively unique feature of cherry blossoms. The petals are scattered around the stamens, and the flowers usually form an umbel inflorescence, with multiple flowers clustering together to bloom.

Peach blossom petals, on the other hand, are relatively round and do not have obvious notches. They grow singly on the branches. The flowers are relatively large, with the petals arranged closely, making them appear plumper.

Looking at the characteristics of the branches and trunks, the bark of cherry blossom trees is purple-brown, smooth on the surface and with horizontal stripes. The small branches are generally light purple-brown and relatively smooth.

The bark of peach blossom trees is dark reddish-brown, relatively rough, with many small lenticels. The small branches are mostly reddish-brown or brownish-green and have a certain rough texture.

There are also differences in the flowering period and the order of blooming between the two. The flowering period of cherry blossoms is usually slightly later than that of peach blossoms. In the south, cherry blossoms generally bloom from the middle to the end of March, while peach blossoms bloom around the beginning of March. Cherry blossoms bloom first and then grow leaves. When they are in full bloom, the whole tree is covered with flowers, and there are almost no leaves to be seen. The leaves gradually grow out when the flowers are about to wither.

Peach blossoms, however, have both flowers and leaves growing simultaneously. The flowers and leaves grow at the same time, but the leaves are relatively small and inconspicuous at the beginning.

In addition to the differences in appearance, cherry blossoms and peach blossoms also have different cultural connotations. In Japanese culture, cherry blossoms symbolize purity, nobility, and transient beauty. In Chinese culture, peach blossoms symbolize love and a good life.

So, the next time you see cherry blossoms and peach blossoms, you might as well use these little pieces of knowledge to appreciate their unique beauty respectively.