Sakura Watch March 31, 2023 - It wouldn't be spring in Toronto if it weren't cold and raining, but at least it's not snowing! My walk through High Park today allowed me to check on the progress of the cherry blossom buds, despite the wet weather. I’d have to admit trying to film and photograph while holding an umbrella is still a skill that needs some practice, but I was able to salvage a few useable photos and videos to put together for today’s update.

Watch the Youtube video update below or continue reading further down.

Larger and Rounder Buds

Compared to my previous visit a week ago, the cherry blossom buds appeared to be larger, rounder, and fuller. These are all excellent indicators of the bud development progress that continues to be on track with what is to be expected for this time of year.

A further highlight was seeing some buds already showing their green tips, which signals those specific buds are already progressing on to the next stages of  development.

Here are some photos from today:

Watching the Weather

The forecast over the next week includes much warmer double-digit temperatures. I’ll be paying extra attention to how high the temperatures reach, and how long it lasts, as these are all important factors that may propel the buds to develop faster and in turn lead to an earlier bloom. But I’m speculating far too soon as I will have to wait until my follow-up visit next week to see how much of an impact the warming trend actually has on the sakura cherry blossom trees in High Park.

early prediction Stands

With all these observations today, my preliminary prediction continues to be on track with a typical bloom period between the end of April and early May. Stay tuned for more visits and follow-up updates!

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

New for 2022, the City of Toronto has launched a donation campaign to allow anyone to donate funds to help maintain existing trees and plant future ones. See this link for details. Read more details and information posted here and on the City of Toronto website.

City of Toronto - Cherry Blossom Website

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