Micro-Season: “The First Peach Blossoms” (2023)

We have entered the micro-season of “The First Peach Blossoms” This is the second micro-season of the mini-season of Awakening of Insects. All the micro-seasons within Awakening of Insects are:

• Hibernating Creatures Open Their Doors (Mar 5 -Mar 9)
• The First Peach Blossoms (Mar 10 – Mar 14)
• Leaf insects turn into Butterflies (Mar 15 – Mar 19)

These seasons were established in 1685 by Japanese astronomer Shibukawa Shunkai and are specific to Japan. However, just because the calendar focuses on Japan doesn’t mean it isn’t applicable to others.  No matter where you live you can use these seasons as a starting point for your personal exploration of the world around you. 

To celebrate this season, we will learn about the history of the peach tree and read seasonal haiku by Basho, Issa, Buson, and Shiki.

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The Peach Tree

A Peach Tree (Prunus persica) is a small to medium-sized tree that rarely grows more than 21 feet (6.5 meters) tall.  The peach is a member of the rose family (Rosaceae). Other plants within the rose family include cherries, apricots, and almonds.  Peaches grow best in the temperate regions of both the northern and southern hemispheres.  

In order for a peach tree to flower, and subsequently produce fruit, a peach tree needs to experience a period of chilling.  An ideal chilling period is said to be about 500 hours of temperatures between 32 -50 degrees Fahrenheit.  This chilling period allows the tree to initiate an internal chemical process that brings about the flowering buds.^(1,2)

Although a mild chilling is best, a peach tree can usually survive temperatures as low as -22 degrees Fahrenheit.  However, these low temperatures will usually kill off the flower buds and keep the trees from producing fruit the next year. 

Peach blossoms are also sensitive to early spring frost.  After an early bloom, the flowers can die if temperatures drop below 25 degrees Fahrenheit.^(1,2)

Important Points In Peach Tree History

Scientists believe that the ancient Chinese were the first to cultivate the peach tree in 6000 BCE. After that, the peach quickly found its way around the world. Below are a few key points marking the peach’s global expansion.

• Archeologists found fossilized peach pits along the Yangtze River that date back to 6000 BCE. 
• The Yangtze River Valley provided the perfect climate and soil conditions for the first peach cultivation. 
•  The peach was first cultivated in Japan during the Jōmon period (4700–4400 BC).
• The peach was first cultivated in India during the Harappan period (1700 BC). 
• The Peach was first cultivated in Greece around 300 BC.  
• Some say that Alexander the Great spread the peach to Spain and France after he conquered Persia. Although, there doesn’t seem to be evidence of this. 
• The Spanish introduced the peach to South America in the 16th century.
• In the 17th century, George Minifie is said to have planted the first peach tree in North America at his home in Virginia.
• In 1768, Thomas Jefferson planted peach trees at his estate Monticello. 
• In 2010, the International Peach Genome Initiative was created to sequence the genomes of the peach tree.

Fun Facts About the Peach

The peach has also played an important role in our cultural history. Below are a few fun facts about how the peach’s cultural relevance.

• The early Chinese believed that peaches contained great vitality and would ward off evil spirits.
• When traveling through their territories, Chinese Emporers would have their soldiers lead the way carrying peach blossoms to clear evil spirits from their path.  
• In 2014, Mr. Matsumoto, who runs a farm in the Kanechika district of Japan, received the Guinness World Record for the “World’s Sweetest Peach”.
• There is a Japanese folklore character called Momotarō who was born from a peach.  
•  In 1961, British Author Roald Dahl wrote his children’s novel James and the Giant Peach.
• In 1984, the peach became the official fruit of South Carolina.

(These “Important points” and “Fun Facts” about the peach were pulled from Brittanica, Wikipedia, and Frog Hollow Farm’s “The History of Peaches”.)

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Seasonal Haiku

The World Kigo Database tells us that hana 花, when translated into English, can mean flowers and blossoms.  However, Dr. Gabi Greve tells us that hana, when used in haiku, only refers to cherry blossoms.⁽⁴⁾  

Since other plants also have flowers and blossoms, other words need to be used to differentiate those blossoms from cherry blossoms. For example, peach blossoms are momo no hana.  Whereas spring flowers, haru no hana.  Autumn wildflowers are kusa no hana, and may also be translated to mean “Flowers of the grass” or  “Flowers of the weeds”.  Plum blossoms, on the other hand, are called ume. 

Cherry blossoms, peach blossoms, and plum blossoms are all spring kigo.  

So with all this in mind, let’s read some haiku!

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Shiki

blossom haze -
in a corner of the capital
is Asukayama
(retrieved from World Kigo Database)

I believe that the Asukayama that Shiki is referring to is Asukayama Park a public park in Toyko.  This park was created by an eighteenth-century shōgun named Tokugawa Yoshimune who planted many cherry trees near Toyko.⁽⁶⁾

Issa

even the heavenly gods
crowd' round
plum blossoms
(translated by David G. Lanoue)

two voices that sound alike
make their way...
clouds of blossoms
(translated by David G. Lanoue)

Buson

The night almost past
through the white plum blossoms
a glimpse of dawn
(translated by Robert Hass)

Basho

The spring night
has come to an end,
with dawn on the cherry blossoms
(translated by R.H.Blyth)

two lives
between them have lived
cherry blossoms 
(translated by Jane Reichhold) 

blooming wildly
among the peach trees: 
first cherry blossoms. 
(translated by David Landis Barnhill)

How many, many things
they call to mind, 
these cherry-blossoms! 
(translated by R.H.Blyth) 

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Haiku Invitation

This week’s haiku invitation is to write a haiku or senryu that references spring flowers or blossoms.  

Share your haiku in the comments below, or post on your own page and link back to this post. I can’t wait to read what you write!  

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Resources:

1. “Peach”; Wikipedia
2. “Peach”; Brittanica
3. “The History of Peaches”; Frog Hollow Farm
4. “Flower and Hana”; World Kigo Database
5. “Plum blossoms (ume)”; World Kigo Database
6. “Asukayama Park”; Wikipedia

Shiki’s haiku was retrieved from World Kigo Database. Issa’s haiku were retrieved from the World Kigo Database and David G. Lanoue Haiku Guy. Buson’s haiku retrieved from Haiku of Yosa Buson: Organized by Rōmaji, in alphabetical order; translated into English, French, Spanish, by Terebess Asia Online (TAO). Basho’s haiku was retrieved from Matsuo Bashō’s haiku poems in romanized Japanese with English translations.