Mom, What Flower Is That? Cherry Blossom or Peach Blossom? Let's Settle This

Spring is here and everywhere is bursting with flowers. I couldn't tell them apart, so I did my homework.

Cherry blossoms (sakura): notch at the tip of each petal. Long stems connecting flower to branch. Bark has horizontal lines. Bloom: late March to early April.

Peach blossoms: round petals, no notch. Flowers grow directly on the branch with very short stems. Light, sweet fragrance. Bloom: March to April.

Plum blossoms: round petals, flowers on branch like peaches. But they bloom in late winter before leaves appear. Stronger fragrance. Darker bark.

Apricot blossoms: sepals curl backward. White petals with pinkish blush.

Pear blossoms: pure white with yellow or red anthers. Bloom in clusters.

Now I have a simple cheat sheet. When my son asks, I can say with confidence: "That's a cherry blossom — see the notch?"