Shillong Prunus Cerasoides Cherry Blossom Meghalaya

Shillong in Meghalaya experiences a spectacular bloom of Prunus cerasoides (wild Himalayan cherry) between late October and mid-November, creating a cherry blossom season unique in the Indian subcontinent and comparable in scale to Japan spring blooms. The deep pink flowers carpet the hills of Ward Lake and Police Bazaar. Meghalaya Tourism organises the Cherry Blossom Festival annually to celebrate this natural phenomenon and showcase Khasi and Jaintia folk music, dance, and cuisine. Local organic farmers and floriculture cooperatives now cultivate Prunus trees commercially for cut flowers and eco-tourism income, positioning Shillong as an alternative cherry blossom destination for Indian travellers.