In 1991, the city of Takaoka, Japan planned to give 100 cherry trees to Fort Wayne. Unfortunately, only 10 trees currently remain. The surviving trees are located on Bluffton Road near the St. Mary's River.
Example of Sargent Cherry trees in bloom
In 1991, Mr. Mitsuhiro Nakao contacted Mayor Helmke's office about a gift of 100 cherry trees to be planted in early 1992, prior to a visit of officials from Takaoka. Linda Buskirk was serving in the Helmke administration at the time and was involved in the project.
The Chief Horticulturist with the Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Department researched cherry trees and determined there was only one variety that could withstand the severe winter conditions of the Fort Wayne weather zone. That variety was prunis sargentii, commonly called Sargent Cherry. Searches at various nurseries yielded few of the Sargent Cherry. Ten were purchased from a nursery in Oswego, Illinois in the spring of 1992. The challenge remained on finding a suitable site for the trees. The campus of IPFW was selected and the 10 trees were planted. They did not survive one year. In February of 1993, 10 trees were purchased from a different nursery and planted on Bluffton Road where they remain.
The Takaoka gift plan was a grand gesture of friendship. A scarce tree, ill-suited for Indiana winters, and absence of any location to accommodate a large number of trees, were probably solid reasons the plan was never executed.
Excerpts taken from an August 21, 2004 letter written by Stanley Barker.
The Chief Horticulturist with the Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Department researched cherry trees and determined there was only one variety that could withstand the severe winter conditions of the Fort Wayne weather zone. That variety was prunis sargentii, commonly called Sargent Cherry. Searches at various nurseries yielded few of the Sargent Cherry. Ten were purchased from a nursery in Oswego, Illinois in the spring of 1992. The challenge remained on finding a suitable site for the trees. The campus of IPFW was selected and the 10 trees were planted. They did not survive one year. In February of 1993, 10 trees were purchased from a different nursery and planted on Bluffton Road where they remain.
The Takaoka gift plan was a grand gesture of friendship. A scarce tree, ill-suited for Indiana winters, and absence of any location to accommodate a large number of trees, were probably solid reasons the plan was never executed.
Excerpts taken from an August 21, 2004 letter written by Stanley Barker.
The Story Behind the Cherry Trees
View of Cherry Trees on Bluffton Road
