Editing Blossom

{{Short description|Flowers of stone fruit trees and of some other plants that flower in spring}}
{{Other uses}}
[[File:Badamwari Flower Series 2.png|thumb|[[Almond|Almond blossom]]]]
[[Image:Cerisier du Japon Prunus serrulata.jpg|right|thumb|Cherry blossoms, [[Paris]], full bloom]]
In [[botany]], '''blossoms''' are the [[flowers]] of [[stone fruit]] [[fruit tree|trees]] (genus ''[[Prunus]]'') and of some other [[plants]] with a similar appearance that flower profusely for a period of time in [[spring (season)|spring]].

Colloquially, [[Orange blossom|flowers of orange]] are referred to as such as well. [[Peach|Peach blossoms]] (including nectarine), most [[cherry blossom]]s, and some [[Almond|almond blossoms]] are usually pink. [[Plum|Plum blossoms]], [[Apple|apple blossoms]], [[orange blossom]]s, some cherry blossoms, and most almond blossoms are white.<ref>{{ cite web | author1=Anna-Louise Taylor | date=13 March 2012 | author2=Ben Aviss | title=What is Britain's best blossom? | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/17314271 | publisher=BBC Nature }}</ref>

Blossoms provide [[pollen]] to [[pollinator]]s such as bees, and initiate cross-[[pollination]] necessary for the trees to reproduce by producing fruit.<ref>{{cite book | author=Colby Eierman | date=2012 | title=Fruit Trees in Small Spaces | url=https://www.impressivepic.com/2020/03/poppy-flower-image-and-wallpaper.html | publisher=Timber Press | isbn=978-1-60469-190-0 | page=29 | access-date=2020-05-14 | archive-date=2021-09-28 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210928155719/https://www.impressivepic.com/2020/03/poppy-flower-image-and-wallpaper.html | url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Herbal use==
[[File:Orange Blossom.JPG|thumb|left|[[Orange blossom]]]]
The ancient [[Phoenicia]]ns used almond blossoms with [[honey]] and [[urine]] as a [[Herbal tonic|tonic]], and sprinkled them into stews and gruels to give muscular strength. Crushed petals were also used as a [[poultice]] on skin spots and mixed with banana oil, for dry skin and [[sunburn]].<ref>{{cite book | author=Margaret Roberts | date=2000 | title=Edible & Medicinal Flowers | url=https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0864864671 | publisher=Interpak Books | isbn=978-0-86486-467-3 | page=2 }}</ref>

In herbalism the [[crab apple]] was used as treatment for [[boils]], [[abscess]]es, [[splinter]]s, wounds, coughs, colds and a host of other ailments ranging from acne to kidney ailments. Many dishes made with apples and apple blossom are of [[medieval]] origin. In the spring, monks and physicians would gather the blossoms and preserve them in vinegar for drawing poultices and for [[bee sting]]s and other insect bites.<ref>{{cite book | author=Margaret Roberts | date=2000 | title=Edible & Medicinal Flowers | url=https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0864864671 | publisher=Interpak Books | isbn=978-0-86486-467-3 | page=24 }}</ref> [[File:MeihuaShan 1.jpg|thumb|[[Plum blossom]]]] Descending from [[Silk Road|China and south east Asia]], the earliest orange species moved westwards via the trade routes.<ref>{{cite book | author=Margaret Roberts | date=2000 | title=Edible & Medicinal Flowers | url=https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0864864671 | publisher=Interpak Books | isbn=978-0-86486-467-3 | page=57 }}</ref>
In [[Seicento|17th century Italy]] peach blossoms were made into a poultice for [[bruise]]s, [[rash]]es, eczema, grazes and [[Stinger|stings]].<ref>{{cite book | author=Margaret Roberts | date=2000 | title=Edible & Medicinal Flowers | url=https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0864864671 | publisher=Interpak Books | isbn=978-0-86486-467-3 | page=59 }}</ref>

In [[ancient Greek medicine]] plum blossoms were used to treat [[Bleeding on probing|bleeding gums]], [[mouth ulcer]]s and tighten [[loose teeth]]. Plum blossoms mixed with [[Salvia officinalis|sage]] leaves and flowers were used in plum wine or plum brandy as a [[mouthwash]] to soothe sore throats and mouth ailments and sweeten bad breath.<ref>{{cite book | author=Margaret Roberts | date=2000 | title=Edible & Medicinal Flowers | url=https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0864864671 | publisher=Interpak Books | isbn=978-0-86486-467-3 | page=62 }}</ref>

== Blossom festivals ==
{{Nihongo|''Hanami''|[[wikt:花見|花見]]||"flower viewing"}} is the Japanese traditional custom of enjoying  the transient beauty of flowers; in this case almost always refer to those of the {{nihongo|[[Cherry blossom|cherry]]|桜|sakura}} or, less frequently, {{nihongo|[[Prunus mume|plum]]|梅|ume}} trees.<ref>{{cite book |last=Sosnoski |first=Daniel |url=https://archive.org/details/introductiontoja00dani |title=Introduction to Japanese culture |publisher=Tuttle Publishing |year=1996 |isbn=0-8048-2056-2 |page=[https://archive.org/details/introductiontoja00dani/page/12 12] |quote=hanami. |url-access=registration}}</ref>

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland the [[National Trust]] organises the environmental awareness campaign [[BlossomWatch|#BlossomWatch]], which is designed to raise awareness of the first signs of [[Spring (season)|Spring]], by encouraging people to share images of blossoms via [[social media]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2021-04-24 |title=Blossom watch day: National Trust urges UK to share blooms |url=http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/apr/24/blossom-watch-day-national-trust-urges-uk-to-share-blooms |access-date=2022-07-15 |website=The Guardian |language=en}}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery mode="packed">
File:Almond Blossom in Butte County (2025)-104A8325.jpg|[[Almond]] blossoms in [[Butte County, California]]
File:Blackthorn in blossom.jpg|[[Blackthorn]] in blossom
File:Apple Tree in Full Bloom.JPG|Apple blossoms in full bloom.
File:Pear blossom.jpg|[[Pear]] blossoms in full bloom.
File:Plum tree in blossom woodvale.jpg|Plum blossoms in full bloom.
File:Blossom of Peach (4391499291).jpg|Peach blossoms in full bloom.
File:Flowering crabapple in Washington DC.jpg|[[Crabapple]] blossoms.
File:PikiWiki Israel 28684 White Lemon Blossoms.jpg|[[Lemon]] blossoms.
File:Strawberry blossom.JPG|[[Strawberry]] blossoms.
File:Blackberry Blossom - geograph.org.uk - 216207.jpg|[[Blackberry]] blossoms.
File:شکوفه زردآلو، بهبهان .jpg|alt=Apricot Blossom in Behbahan, Iran|Apricot Blossom in [[Behbahan]], [[Iran]]
File:شکوفه درخت کنار، بهبهان.jpg|alt=Ziziphus Blossom in Behbahan, Iran|[[Ziziphus]] Blossom in [[Behbahan]], [[Iran]]
</gallery>

== See also ==
* [[Fragrance extraction]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Blossoms}}
{{Wiktionarypar|blossom}}
* [https://www.smartshoppingtricks.com/blossom-in-different-languages/ Blossom in other languages].
* {{cite book|author=Millais, John Everett|author-link=John Everett Millais|url=http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/picture-of-month/displaypicture.asp?venue=7&id=112 |title=Apple blossoms|publisher=Lady Lever Art Gallery}}
* {{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/17341878 |work=BBC Nature |title= In Pictures: Your blossoming spring}}

[[Category:Flowers|+]]
[[Category:Plants]]