Cherry blossom

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/cherry-blossom

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Prunus subgenus Cerasus
2. What are cherry blossoms?Cherry blossoms are the pink and white flowers that grow on special cherry trees. They are grown for their pretty look and sweet vanilla‑like scent, not for fruit.
3. Why do cherry blossoms smell like vanilla?The scent comes from a natural chemical called coumarin that is found in the flowers. It gives them a gentle, vanilla‑like fragrance.

Sakura: The Japanese term encompassing both cherry trees and their blossoms, imbued with deep cultural and symbolic meaning.
Ornamental Cultivars: Varieties of cherry trees specifically bred and selected for their visual beauty, particularly their flowers, rather than fruit production.
Hanami: A traditional Japanese practice of appreciating the transient beauty of flowers, most notably cherry blossoms, often involving outdoor gatherings and picnics.
Mono no aware: A Japanese aesthetic concept referring to the awareness of the impermanence of things and the gentle sadness or pathos evoked by this transience.