Toronto’s cherry blossoms will peak next week. How long will they be around?
Visitors are reminded not to pull branches or shake the trees
The cherry blossoms in Toronto's High Park are expected to be in peak bloom next week, with the buds set to be at least 75 per cent open by April 24, according to blossom enthusiast Steven Joniak.
“By Monday [April 22], we should see maybe about 5%-10% of the blossoms open—which means free random flowers open and scattered amongst the Sakura branches,” writes Joniak in an update on his Sakura Watch blog. “With some sunny days and double-digit temperatures, we will begin to see a rapid improvement throughout the week.”
Joniak says the blooms have been accelerated due to warmer-than-normal temperatures in early April.
“Each day more blossoms will open depending on the weather–the warmer and sunnier the weather, the faster they will open and bloom,” notes Joniak.
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People are encouraged to visit the park and other locations around the city, but they are being asked to be respectful of the blossoms.
“How long they last will depend, once again, on the weather AND people,” explains Joniak. “Rain and wind will tend to knock down blossoms early, but warm and calmer weather will help the blossoms last longer. The other threat is from people pulling branches or shaking trees."
Additional tips on how to prevent damaging the trees can be found on Joniak's website.
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Japanese flowering cherry trees (Sakura) and its cherry groves can be found in several parks across Toronto, including in Birkdale Ravine, Centennial Park (Etobicoke), High Park, and Toronto Island Park.
Many of Toronto’s Sakura cherries were generously donated to the City of Toronto, particularly by several Japanese and Japanese-Canadian organizations and individuals to honour the relationship between Canada and Japan. Donations can be made to the City to help maintain existing and future trees.
Click here for an interactive map with locations of Sakura trees in and around the Greater Toronto Area. For more information about this and previous blooms, head to Steve Joniak's website.
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(Header image submitted to The Weather Network by M. Ahmed on April 29, 2023)
