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.
01 Jan 2026
Ultrasound and nanobubble treatments are transforming postharvest cherry management in Chile. Physiological indicators such as pitting, electrolyte leakage and respiration help assess treatment impact and preserve cherry quality for up to 45 days in cold storage.
09 Dec 2024
The aim of the study conducted in the experimental area of the Faculty of Agriculture of Selçuk University (Turkey) was to evaluate the impact of different types of plastic mulch on soil temperature, both independently and in combination with promalin.
22 May 2026
The CTIFL 2026 report presents guidelines to protect cherry trees in France from Drosophila suzukii, combining monitoring, netting, sanitation, biological control and authorized plant protection products for targeted, sustainable crop defense adapted to sites and varieties.
22 May 2026
Cherry orchard covers in Chile no longer protect only against rain: they now regulate microclimate, reduce cracking, improve export quality and fruit condition, supporting more stable economic returns in modern orchards exposed to growing climate risk and market pressure.
