Weeping Higan Cherry trees originate in Japan, but they, along with many other Japanese cherry trees, were introduced to the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Since then, they have graced gardens across the country, from Yale University to Washington D.C.'s National Mall. Nestled into a planter on the north side of Branford Court, just outside the Saybrook Dining Hall, this Weeping Higan Cherry bursts into color each year in mid-April to announce the arrival of spring, and, in its more subdued autumn hues, provides the background for the annual Branford first-year class photo.