Upon further reflection (and viewing the blurry photos in sharpen mode), I agree. The definite pinkness of the blossoms in the guide often fools me when I see the whiteness of the blossoms in natural sunlight on the day. The double flower, bulbous calyx tube and long pedicel match exactly the guide. It should be a nice tree in future especially having the attention of the adjacent tree nursery and far away from traffic and winds which has damaged some of the downtown trees (Choices Yaletown).
Impressive 'Tai-haku' on northwest corner of Main and 47th. Just past bloom. Missed it by one week, according to a resident.
I thought I'd discovered these big old 'Akebono' trees on East 54th at St George, but it turns out they have been a festival favourite, probably since the beginning of the festival. [Edited]No, I see that I found these at the same time I first found the 'Afterglow' in 2009. See posting #29. I'd just seen 'Afterglow' trees in Kitsilano, but these look much better. On Prince Edward south from 61st. North from 61st on Prince Edward is a nice block of 'Akebono'.
About a month ago I found this block of 'Kanzan' on 51st east from Prince Edward, was hoping to confirm the ID, which I did a week ago, though they weren't really in bloom yet. Still, good enough to get on the map.
Another big discovery that turns out to already be a festival favourite - avium 'Plena' on 51st between Fraser and Ross. The map entry wasn't linking to Mariko's forum posting with photos, so I got to fix that up. There is at least one avium that is not the 'Plena' cultivar (tree on the right below), same height and shape as the others. You can sort-of see the difference in the full-size photo. For a bonus, there is a canopy of 'Kanzan' farther east on 51st at Sherbrooke, runs for a block.
Found a beautiful collection of 'Kanzan' on East 69th Avenue behind the old Dueck lot. The sun was shining gloriously and the trees invited me to photograph them with my lowly cellphone camera.
Yes, definitely a festival favourite. See posting #96 from April 9, 2017. Looks like they blooming later this year.
This is the block of E. 59th Ave east of Main Street that has been a festival favourite for its 'Whitcomb' trees, several on the block. They are so much past peak bloom that the flowers have now faded to very white. But there are also on 'Accolade' and a few 'Akebono' on this block. Here is the 'Accolade'. And some big old 'Akebono' trees (well, the trunks are mazzard cherry, with impressive roots). And impressive (not) BC Hydro pruning for the power lines.
Around the next corner, on Prince Edward, is a very good-looking block of 'Akebono'. Two blocks farther down Prince Edward is the block of 'Afterglow'. They look more pink in my photos than they seemed when I was there. They continue to be beautiful trees.
I was trying to make my way up to 57th, but I was still on 59th nearing Fraser (going east) and saw this block of 'Somei-yoshino' in the distance. We have had a lot of conversations on these forums about the ID of these trees; I still think they are 'Somei-yoshino'. The Parks Board does not seem to care, as there are two much younger 'Akebono' trees on the block. And one OMG-why? 'Spire'. The 'Somei-yoshino' are in this posting.
Here are the 'Akebono' on that block in the previous posting. And the 'Spire'. Flowers are nice. As I was driving east back on 59th, I saw in the distance some trees, so changed my route yet again to chase them down. They were two impressive old 'Somei-yoshino' west of Khalsa Diwan Road (Ross St) on 61st, south side of Moberly Park.
The block of 61st west of Main has what could develop into a nice kanzan canopy. Vaisakhi had a nice looking blossom float.
Shirofugen (2 trees) in bloom on Quebec Street at E. 48th Avenue, April 20, 2019. One Shirofugen in line with an Avium and Kanzan.
Went to smell the Tiger's Tail, have to say it was not so nice last evening. Douglas Justice brought a cutting to his Blossom Biology talk for the festival last week - it smelled very nice then, but still unusual. Here are 'Kanzan' on 49th just east of Ontario. And then more of same on 57th east of Main.
Two of the Akebonos planted for several blocks along the newly-named Masumi Mitsui Greenway (59th Ave.) from Prince Albert west (this one is at Prince Albert) are starting to bloom:
