Last year, a student gave me a weeping plum blossom tree. It is called “shidare ume” in Japanese. When I received it, it was in full bloom, with beautiful deep pink blossoms. The blossoms lasted around two weeks, and then leaves grew.

I had never looked after a tree before, so I looked on the Internet for ways to take care of it. I found a site which said that I had to cut the branches, soon after the blossoms disappear, so I did that. The site also said I should use fertilizer. I did that too. And I waited. I watered it in summer, and brought it inside when typhoons came. In winter it became buried under the snow, but seemed to be OK, so I left it outside.

For a year I wondered, “Will it blossom? Have I done everything right?” Then, a few weeks ago, small pink buds started to appear. Then one blossom opened, and then others started to open! I must have done something right! The only problem I have is that the branches didn’t grow longer. Maybe I cut them too short. Anyway, here it is! My weeping plum blossom tree!