USDA Organic Okame Flowering Cherry

Get a jump on the Cherry Blossom Festival with Okame Flowering Cherry - the first Japanese Cherry tree to open its flowers in spring. When its fuchsia-tipped buds uncork in a froth of champagne-pink flowers, you'll raise a glass in toast to a celebration of spring, saying farewell to Old Man Winter. Plant this small to medium-sized tree near your porch or patio so you may not only take in the spectacle of Okame's long-lasting Cherry blossoms, but enjoy the light, sweet fragrance of its flowers, too. The scent attracts foraging pollinators, and on mild days the tree hums with the sound of valuable honeybees at work. Don't worry - they're far too interested in the blossoms to bother you!

Thanks to a very generous gift from the People of Japan in 1912, approximately 3,750 Cherry trees are planted along the Tidal Basin in Washington DC. In a ceremony on March 27, 1912 the first lady Helen Taft and the wife of the Japanese ambassador Viscountess Chinda, planted the first two trees together on the northern bank in West Potomac Park. These two original trees are still standing today marked by a large plaque. Each spring our nation’s capital celebrates the National Cherry Blossom Festival. This has become a cherished tradition for many, drawing 1.5 million people to the city each year. In 2012, The United States sent 3000 flowering dogwood trees to Japan to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Japan’s Cherry trees. The trees are a living reminder of the good will and friendship between the two countries.

How about a blooming Cherry tree with multiple season interest for your garden, huh? What do you say? Single deep pink flowers appear in early spring before the dark green foliage. Leaf color transforms into beautiful shades of copper, orange, and yellow - add that to the reddish-bronze bark and you have yourself one spectacular tree!

Tread lightly, shrink your footprint, and let yourself grow with USDA Certified Organic Trees. Organic farming has sprung up drastically in importance and influence, spreading worldwide the philosophy of deeply rooting nature in harmony and enriching the soil we stand upon. Benefitting the gardener, enhancing biodiversity, preserving nature's wildlife, and a true direction to protecting our environment. Choosing organic trees on your property, whether they are fruit, nut, ornamental, or shade trees, begins with their soil and cultivates change taking root in your backyard. Take one BIG TREE step for your garden, and one giant leap towards a greener world.

What does it mean to be USDA Organically grown?

• USDA Organic crops are grown exclusively on land that has gone without having non-USDA Organic approved substances applied for three years.
• No pesticides for us, please! Organically grown crops are highly regulated on what can and cannot be used for pest control—worried about harsh chemicals that have been sprayed on your plant? There is only a small number of approved synthetic chemicals that are allowed to be used. Otherwise, farmers use strict biological, mechanical, and physical management practices.
• Not just any type of seeds are used to grow and harvest organic plants: farmers can only use organic seeds or organically raised seedlings in their organic fields.
• Only the best handling is allowed! Organic and non-organic crops are not allowed to be commingled or near each other. Cross-contamination can occur, botching the organic plant's purity due to non-organic substances that could have been sprayed on non-organic harvests; this would cause the organic plant to be considered compromised.
• Fields are carefully cultivated through crop rotation and proper tillage practices to ensure that the soil and the soil's nutrients are kept at a happy balance. Animal manure, not sludge, is allowed to help infuse the soil with nitrogen to support the growth of the organic crops.