Wild, blossoming cherries are native to many diverse lands, from the British Isles and Norway to Morocco and Tunisia. But they’re most associated with Japan, where the sakura is the national flower. These days, though, you’ll find blossoming cherries everywhere, on practically every continent. For that, we must thank a lot of dedicated botanists, who braved world wars and long sea voyages—and endured repeated failures—to spread the sakura around the world. But there’s one naturalist in particular we can thank: Collingwood “Cherry” Ingram. Journalist Naoko Abe joins us on the podcast to share how this English eccentric saved some of Japan’s most iconic cherry blossoms—from the spectacular Great White Cherry to the pink Hokusai—from extinction.

Go beyond the episode:

• Naoko Abe’s The Sakura Obsession
• If you’re in Washington, D.C., check out the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Peak bloom is now expected on April 1!
• The National Park Service created a map and a list of the cherry blossom varieties in the city
• Smithsonian’s list of the best places to see cherry blossoms around the world

Cherry varieties discussed:

• Taihaku / Prunus serrulata taihaku / Great white cherry
• Somei-yoshino / Prunus x yedoensis / Tokyo cherry

Tune in every week to catch interviews with the liveliest voices from literature, the arts, sciences, history, and public affairs; reports on cutting-edge works in progress; long-form narratives; and compelling excerpts from new books. Hosted by Stephanie Bastek. Follow us on Twitter @TheAmScho or on Facebook.

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