
愛宕の森と緑を守る会
Atago Forest and Green Protection Association
Hot news 2
(Click the image to enlarge )
Atago Sakura Project has started! Raising seedlings held (2019.07.16)
Sakura Symposium
Lecturer Mr. Inoue
Specimen commentary

サクラの育種の取り込みに先立って、6月8日に開催された「愛宕サクラシンポジウム」。日本人にとってのサクラの歴史、および、ツクシヤマザクラ種についての認識を深めることを目的とした企画です。

シンポジストの一人は、元福岡県森林林業技術センター専門研究員の猪上信義氏です。ツクシヤマザクラについての詳しい解説をおこなって頂きました。もう一名のシンポジストの堤啓次郎氏にはサクラをめぐる歴史の話をお願いしました。

ツクシヤマザクラの標本を見ながら、その特徴やヤマザクラとの区別法などの解説を聴きます。
On Mt. Atago, there is a stone monument that says that 360 "Yoshino cherry trees" (Yoshino cherry tree) were donated in 1918 (Taisho 7). Since that time, Atagoyama has been one of the famous cherry blossom spots in the city, and many people visited during the flowering season. Although it is still regarded as a famous place for cherry blossoms today, there are about 160 cherry trees left in the entire mountain, centering on Sakurazaka (the approach to Kannondenji) and Atagoyama sightseeing road (the motorway on the north side). I'm sorry. Even so, the growth of evergreen trees obstructs the sunshine, and many are in a severe condition on the verge of death. In addition, there is a subspecies of wild cherry tree on Mt. Atago, and a native species called Tsukushiyama cherry tree, which is endemic to this area, has barely survived, but all of them are dying.
Under these circumstances, the Association for the Protection of Atago Forest and Greenery will increase and revive the cherry blossoms of Mt. Atago by the hands of the citizens, and it will also use endemic species to make Mt. Atago a "village of wild cherry blossoms". We decided to launch the "Atago Sakura Project" aiming for. As the first step, we held the "Atago Sakura Symposium" on June 8th with the aim of getting to know and learn about Sakura and Tsukushiyamazakura (left image).
In addition, on July 7, we worked on making cuttings to grow horsetail saplings (image below). Mr. Yoichi Kai of Fukuoka Landscaping, who is also a tree doctor, gave me guidance on cutting work, and he taught me the know-how in detail.
It takes two and a half to three and a half years to grow a sapling up to a size that can be planted. In this day's efforts, more than 200 cuttings will be made, and participants will take them home and work on long-term seedling raising work. However, the ratio of cuttings to root safely without dying is 80 to 90% for cutting specialists, about 50% for gardeners, and at most 10 to 20% for inexperienced amateurs. It is said that. But first of all, it was a start, and it was the first step.
Horsetail saplings are not commercially available species, unlike Yoshino cherry trees. For the twigs that are the source of the cuttings, we used the ones that were collected from the first-year branches that have not yet been wooded and that grow from the native Tsukushiyama cherry tree. However, it is surprisingly difficult even for experts to distinguish between wild cherry blossoms and their subspecies, Tsukushiyama cherry blossoms, so even experts have to distinguish them for each harvested tree, and where individual cuttings grow. I decided to manage it properly so that I could see what was taken from the tree.
(Click the image to enlarge and display the explanation)






