‘Space cherry tree’
Print Edition
A cosmic mystery is uniting monks and scientists in Japan after a cherry tree grown from a seed that orbited the Earth for eight months bloomed years earlier than expected — and with very surprising flowers.
The four-year-old sapling — grown from a cherry stone that spent time aboard the International Space Station — blossomed on April 1, possibly a full six years ahead of Mother Nature’s normal schedule.
Its early blooming baffled Buddhist brothers at the ancient temple in central Japan where the tree is growing.
“We are amazed to see how fast it has grown,” said Masahiro Kajita, chief priest at the Ganjoji temple in Gifu.
The pip was among 265 harvested from the celebrated “Chujo-hime-seigan-zakura” tree, which is said to be 1,250 years old. The “space cherry tree” is 4 meters tall.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
