Sakura Watch March 7, 2024 - My latest visit to High Park saw much of the same, with hints of progress to the next stage! This was a visit from earlier in the week, so I am a little late in posting this, but it seems technical issues always pop up whenever I start things up again every year. But with that out of the way, let's focus on what we all really want to know, and that is how the buds looked this week. The changes were subtle at best, and I’m not surprised, as the weather had not been overly warm the past week or so. But I did see hints of a few buds showing some bright green colour in their tips which is progress! Read on to find out…

Watch the Youtube video update below.

Little change, with a few hints

As I mentioned, most of the buds showed very little signs of change since my last visit. Nearly all still had the same elongated shapes with bronze-coloured outer shells and copper-coloured tips. However, at the top of Cherry Hill, adjacent to the large sakura cherry blossom, closest to the roads, were some buds showing a brighter green colour. This was the first indication of the next stages of development, and these would be the trees I will be watching to see whether they could be the first to bloom when the time is right.

The one thing that was very evident on my visit was the birds - so many birds were out and about around the trees! It's always a treat to watch and see them in the park, and I was able to get a few photos and videos of them, but I didn't take too long as they were trying to shoo me away and flying around me pretty close. They must have had a nest nearby, which I couldn’t see, but it's not the first time I’ve had these bird encounters, and I’m sure it won’t be my last!

Here are some photos of these other buds as seen this past week:

It’s up to the weather now

How the trees will progress going forward is now completely up to the weather. This weekend is a rain-filled one, which is what you’d expect for spring, though technically, we’re still in winter. If we get more warming trends in the coming weeks, then we will see an acceleration of the buds' development into April, but right now, it’s still too early to predict. Patience is key, and I’ll be there to keep tabs and report back so we’re all in the loop.

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.