A platter of ripe sweet cherries of the Bing variety

The name cherry came from the Old Norman French word cherise, which in turn originated from the Latin cerasum.

Cherries originate in Europe and western Asia. In North America, supplies of cherries come mostly from the United States, particularly from California and Washington. In Japan, cherries are grown purely for their blossoms. Known as sakura, the Japanese cherry blossom is a national symbol celebrated during Hanami 花見, 'flower-viewing,' festivals.

The cherry belongs to the family Rosaceae, genus Prunus, (along with other stone fruits such as almonds, apricots, peaches, and plums.)

Scientific names of cherry:
sweet cherry – Prunus avium
sour cherry – Prunus cerasum

A poem I wrote on May 4, 2005, part of the sixteenth series of my dozen verses:

I Pine for Cherry Blossoms Falling By

I pine for cherry blossoms falling by Kaizougawa River—
A river lined with snowy-white sakura glist'ning forever.
A house nestling three-minute-walk away from it makes me quiver
About something old but special I recently rediscover.

In the prefecture of Mie-ken lies beautiful Yokkaichi-shi,
Where lovely pale-fuchsia cherry blossom trees effloresce each year—
Celebrating the fleeting and ephemeral nature of life.
How I love to be there to join a hanami festivity.

Saraba, mukashi; sayonara, mai katsute koishii.
Gently blown by the morning breeze, five-petaled sakura—so dear!
Scattered across the park, like the thin veils of Winter they're so rife.
This is my last peek at my past; this is my final fantasy.

I pine for cherry blossoms falling by Kaizougawa River——
Saraba, mukashi; sayonara, mai katsute koishii.