The tree was planted as part of the celebrations for the University's 75th anniversary, during a ceremony attended by a representative of the Japanese Embassy in the United Kingdom, former Foreign Ministry diplomat, and two-time Olympian Mara Yamauchi.
Keele hosts one of the largest collections of flowering cherry trees in the UK and Europe, with around 230 varieties, including some rare even in Japan. It has previously been granted the status of a National Plant Collection by Plant Heritage, the world's leading plant research and conservation organization.
Kayo Iwakami, Second Secretary at the Japanese Embassy in the UK, stated: “It is a great pleasure to participate in this commemorative ceremony, celebrating both the 75th anniversary of Keele University and the planting of the 300th cherry tree.
“I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the experts who have diligently protected and cared for these trees. I also hope that everyone who visits this place will enjoy the beauty of the trees and that the spirit of friendship they symbolize continues to strengthen in the years to come.”
Image 1: Cherry blossom garden in Japan. Source: GreenMe.
The arrival of cherry blossoms in spring is a major event in Japan, marked by numerous festivals and daily coverage in national news. Keele has been planted with flowering cherry trees since the 1940s when the first ornamental gardens were established. Since then, many flowering cherry trees have been added across the 600-acre campus, and spring at Keele is now synonymous with cherry blossoms.
The latest addition to the collection, the Prunus nipponica, also known as the Japanese alpine cherry, was planted in the University's Memorial Garden. As part of the event, Mara Yamauchi, a former elite marathon runner who competed in the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and placed second in the 2009 London Marathon, delivered a public lecture on her life and career for the latest installment of the lecture series in memory of Professor Fumiko Yonezawa.
Read the full artcile: Keele University
Images: Keele University; GreenMe.
18 Aug 2023
Growing difficulties have forced growers to eliminate hectares of cherry orchards. This decision was mediated by climate concerns and competition from imports, which decreased - and in some cases eliminated - the profits of cherry growers.
26 Jan 2024
In addition to phytosanitary treatments, kaolin and covering the inter-row with Extenday sheets throughout the season as vector control strategies to cover weeds, which are very important for the insect's life cycle, were evaluated.
07 Aug 2026
A study evaluates 92 entomopathogenic nematode strains against Drosophila suzukii. Steinernema carpocapsae NC116 shows high efficacy against larvae, while sublethal effects on adults open new opportunities for integrated pest management in cherry production.
07 Aug 2026
The 2026 Northwest U.S. cherry season enters its final phase with over 16 million boxes shipped. Volumes remain below the May forecast and Rainier cherries are sharply down, while flavor, size and quality stay high as dark sweet cherries support the final push in August.
