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.
04 Jul 2025
CherryTech 2025 brought together more than 1,600 professionals in Chile to explore the future of cherry production. With masterclasses, expert forums, and cutting-edge research, the event highlighted the importance of innovation, pruning techniques, and sustainable practices.
09 Jul 2024
Kashmir's annual cherry production is between 12,000 and 14,000 tonnes. Affected by erratic weather, cherry growers in the middle of the harvest estimate a 30-50% drop in yield compared to last year.
02 Apr 2026
Mercadona strengthens its 2026 cherry campaign with over 6,000 tonnes of Spanish fruit, doubling volumes. A strategy focused on short supply chains, national growers and price stability, supporting key cherry-producing regions across Spain during the season market growth.
02 Apr 2026
A China-based study investigates DMI fungicide resistance in Alternaria alternata affecting sweet cherry. The G462S mutation and AaCYP51 gene overexpression explain reduced treatment efficacy and highlight new strategies for resistance management in agriculture.
