One knows that spring has come when the cherry blossoms bloom! I went to Yeouido Park to attend the Yeouido Spring Flower Festival held every April when the flowers are in bloom. The most sought-after flowers are the pink and white cherry blossoms planted along the streets and along Han river. Compared to other flowers, the cherry tree's bloom is very short, as the blossoms last for only a week before they start shedding. Thus, around mid-March, Koreans wait for the news when the bloom will start. Once that date arrives, one must go within that week lest one misses his or her chance.
During their peak season in April, cherry trees are easily recognizable by their beautiful pink flowers known as cherry blossoms. There are over 200 varieties of cherry blossoms, with different hues of pink and sometimes white. When the flowers first open, it only takes about a week for the trees to reach full bloom. A week after that, the flowers start falling from the trees and reveal oval-shaped, toothed leaves. The trees are around 25 feet tall on average, but some species can reach 50 feet in height. When the flowers are gone, the trees look like ordinary trees with no distinguishable features.
