Sakura Watch March 13, 2024 - Warmer weather continues to push the bud progress ahead of schedule in High Park. Today I visited the park on what was an absolutely beautiful summer-like day! Well above seasonal for this time in March, it was a welcome reprieve to be wearing short sleeves outside while walking around the park and taking a closer look at the cherry blossom buds progress. The warmer temperatures of late definitely have been accelerating the bud development progress, and today I was witness to even more progress since my last visit. Read on to find out more…

Watch the Youtube video update below.

Buds swelling with gree tips emerging

My first stop was by the sports fields, where I was greeted by trees filled with complete, well-rounded buds, many of which show distinct bright green tips. More than 90% of the buds on the trees in this park area were showing the same stage of development, which I would have expected to see closer to the end of March! This is a definite sign that the trees are currently on track to bloom earlier this year.

When I ventured over to Cherry Hill, I saw similar results. These trees also have similar well-rounded buds with bright green tips, like the sportsfields. The only interesting item of note is that the buds along the top of the hill closer to the road appear slightly ahead of the buds further down the slope near Grenadier Pond. But in either case, they are also ahead of schedule in this area of the park, and the difference in stages this early on is of little significance. When the bloom finally arrives, all of the cherry trees will be in bloom together, and any of the buds that are a bit slower will only be a day or so behind, which will only help to prolong any sakura hanami (cherry blossom viewing).

Here are some more detailed photos showing the buds with their brightly coloured tips:

The weather continues to dominate

Once again, we are at the mercy of Mother Nature and her fluctuating swings of hot and cold. As much as we enjoy this warm spell, we should see colder weather return again next week. Depending on how long the cooler weather prevails will determine how much slower the buds progress into the 3rd and 4th stages of development. On the bright side, the buds are still protected, so if we do happen to get another ‘polar vortex’ like event, they should be able to withstand them for the time being.

However, with that all being said, if the current development rate does continue, we may see a bloom begin as early as mid-April - but again, at this point, this is big, maybe. First, we need to see a resolution to the battle of the temperatures by the end of the month. Who knows, maybe the Easter bunny will add a few holiday miracles for us to enjoy beyond the chocolate and other treats.

Thanks for visiting, and watch for more updates soon.

Do Your Part to Help the Trees from Damage

As much fun as it is to get up close to enjoy the cherry blossoms truly, there are some who take it a bit too far and cause damage to the tree that can lead to irreparable harm so the trees can not protect themselves from insects and disease and eventually die. This leaves us with less mature trees to enjoy, so please, if you really want to enjoy the blossoms for many years to come, you need to do your part to help protect the trees and prevent any harm to them:

• Don’t pick or break off any blossoms

• Don’t pull down, shake or break off the branches

• Don’t climb, sit or stand on the trunks or branches - the mature trees are very old and not strong enough to support the weight and stress of people, even small children!

• Don’t leave any litter IN or around the trees - it’s so sad to see people putting their garbage in the hollow trunks of the older trees, which invites animals and other insects to nest inside and cause internal damage.

• DO take photos without harming the trees

• DO enjoy the blossoms and respect their immediate surroundings

• DO remember that respecting the trees from root to branch will help everyone to enjoy the blooming trees for many years to come

Donate to Support The Cherry Blossoms

The City of Toronto now accepts donations to help maintain existing trees and plant future ones. See this link for details.
Read more details and information on the City of Toronto - Cherry Blossom Website

Thank you all for visiting the site. Be careful, be safe, and watch for more updates soon.