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
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Five areas Canada's foreign interference commissioner says needs more investigation
Commissioner Marie-Josee Hogue released her interim report examining foreign election interference on Friday. Here are five elements of the issue that Hogue says she needs to further probe before she can make conclusions or recommendations.
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.
Why your airfare may be getting more expensive
Skyrocketing airfare prices are linked to heightened competition and rising food and fuel, according to the CAA.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
New weight-loss drug Wegovy not a 'magic bullet,' doctor warns
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
Funeral today for broadcasting legend and voice of 'Hockey Night in Canada' Bob Cole
A funeral is being held today for hockey broadcasting legend Bob Cole in his hometown of St. John's, N.L.
Foreign meddling 'did not affect' overall federal election results: inquiry report
Foreign interference by China did not affect the overall results of the 2019 and 2021 general elections won by Justin Trudeau's Liberals, a federal commission of inquiry has found.