High Park's cherry blossoms reach peak bloom today. Here's how long it will last
The cherry blossoms in High Park are expected to bloom right on schedule this week.
Peak bloom, which is when more than 70 per cent of the blossoms are open, is expected to begin on April 22 and last for about four to 10 days depending on the weather conditions.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
“We are on track, we are on schedule,” Rohith Rao, fundraising and communications director at the High Park Nature Centre, told CTV News Toronto last week. “Peak bloom typically happens between late April and early May and we are still on that schedule.”
Rao said that if the city has cooler temperatures during the peak bloom period people will be able to see the blossoms for a longer period of time, which is what happened last year.
“If it is warmer than the flowers progress quicker and you will have a relatively short period of peak bloom,” he said. “It typically lasts for a week and then you start to see the flower petals start falling off.
Japan’s ambassador to Canada, Toru-Hagiwara, gifted the city 2,000 Somei-Yoshino Sakura trees in 1959 on behalf of the citizens of Tokyo in appreciation of Toronto accepting re-located Japanese-Canadians following the Second World War.
The blossoms now typically draw hundreds of thousands of visitors to the park every year. The blooms are a great sign of the arrival of spring, Rao said.
The blossoms are heavily dependent on the late winter and early spring temperatures. Rao said that they initially progressed quickly due to very warm temperatures.
“But then later in the week, we had really cool weather and overcast conditions so that slowed down the process a little bit,” he said.
Currently, the blossoms are stage four of the blooming process, which is when the flower stems get longer and the individual blossoms can be clearly seen. The blossoms are very vulnerable to frost at this point.
During the next stage, which happens typically four to six days before peak bloom, fluffy white Sakura blossoms emerge with each flower opening at different times.
At the final stage, stage six, peak bloom begins with the majority of blossoms open.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Lanny McDonald and a few old Flames take the Stanley Cup on a surprise visit to the man who saved his life
The Stanley Cup was passing through town Friday, and Lanny Legend took it upon himself to take it for a surprise visit.
Bathroom break nearly derails $22 million project at city council meeting
A brief break during Wednesday's city council meeting in Saskatoon nearly cost the city dearly.
Chad Daybell sentenced to death for killing wife and girlfriend’s two children in jury decision
Jurors resumed deliberations Saturday on whether a man should be sentenced to death after being convicted days earlier of the murders of his wife and his girlfriend’s two youngest children in Idaho.
Robert Pickton stabbed with toothbrush and broken broom handle: victim's family
The family of one of Robert Pickton's victims says the convicted serial killer suffered an incredibly violent death at the hands of another inmate.
Father who killed one-year-old son with axe may be allowed to travel in southwestern Ontario
A Mennonite father who killed his one-year-old son with an axe may be allowed to travel to parts of southern Ontario in the coming months
'It feels like freedom': Why some Albertans like going nude in nature
Few people can say they accidentally purchased a nude beach — but Shelley can. When she saw a piece of land she could fondly remember camping on was up for sale, she inquired about it and ended up purchasing it. She soon found that there were already inhabitants on it.
This Calgary home has a giant tree in the middle, and it's for sale
There's a luxury 'tree home' for sale in Calgary.
China lands spacecraft on the moon amid growing space rivalry with U.S.
A Chinese spacecraft landed on the far side of the moon Sunday to collect soil and rock samples that could provide insights into differences between the less-explored region and the better-known near side.
Pedestrian dies after being hit by train in Brockville, Ont.
Brockville Police says a pedestrian has died following a collision with a train that was heading to Toronto.