Cherry Blossom Blooming Time

Discussion in 'Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival' started by Vi Nguyen, Mar 7, 2017.

  1. Vi Nguyen

    Vi Nguyen New Member

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    Hi. I'm from Calgary. I'm planning to go to Vancouver this April for cherry blossom, I have already booked ticket and hotel. The day's gonna be from April 5th to April 10th but I'm so confused about the cherry blossom blooming time. I really want to see them in middle season and the flower tunnels like in photos but based on the weather this year it's gonna be a late bloom. Is April 5th-10th good enough to see any cherry blossom? Any kind of cherry blossom is gonna bloom at that time?
     
  2. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    Well, it's not certain yet. I think you will see the nice pink weeping 'Beni-shidare' cherries at VanDusen during the Sakura Days festival there on April 8 and 9, the 'Somei-yoshino' on Lower Mall at UBC and the 'Akebono' trees at Burrard Station. I think we will still be into early season in most of the city, but I've been wrong in my prediction once already this year.

    You seem to have done very well in picking your dates. At least you'll get a festival! I'm using dates from 2009 for this year's predictions and the Burrard Station trees line up with that very well. Of course no guarantees. You might have to check the festival map and go look at 'Accolade' locations. The VCBF Blooming Now - Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival page and the map will show what is in bloom when you get here. I hope you have a wonderful time. There should definitely be some sort of cherries in bloom. Almost definitely.
     
  3. Vi Nguyen

    Vi Nguyen New Member

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    Thanks for replying me. I hope it will stop snowing and get warmer soon. Is it still snowing and raining in Vancouver? How long does it take and how many C is good for a cherry blossom tree to bloom?
    I checked the map you sent me, is these day period from the day cherry blossom starting in full bloom? If I come earlier 1-2 days before the days period, can I still see the flower?
     
  4. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    Yes, it's still raining and snowing. The first flowers need 10C degrees to open enough to be in bloom.

    The dates on the map are fiction, you know. We don't have any inside information on what the weather will do and when the blooming will actually be. The dates on the map should be from when they start to look photo-worthy. I would guess to stay a few days later than you have booked rather than come earlier.
     
  5. Vi Nguyen

    Vi Nguyen New Member

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    So if I delay my trip to some days later. What ranges of days you think it's good enough to see cherry blossom in gorgeous bloom?
     
  6. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    I'm sorry, I can't be responsible for the success of your vacation. It's a guess for all of us, and depends on what the weather is going to do next. Also, the climate zones around the city differ, so they are not all in bloom at the same time. I would just bump your days back a bit, to still be here for at least one of the Sakura Days, and then stay that next week, rather than being here the week before. I can't even figure out if the plums will be out then. They would be thrilling to see as well.
     
  7. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    @Vi Nguyen and @sunshade (who started a similar thread), just to show you how hard this prediction stuff is, see this page from the Washington DC festival:
    2017 Cherry Blossom Watch | Washington DC (thanks to @Willard for this link).
    On March 2, they predicted the peak bloom for the cherries at the basin between March 14 and 17. Not a week later, on March 8, they changed the prediction to March 19 to 22. A week later, they are not even sure they will have a show.

    I still can't predict when our early 'Whitcomb' cherries will be fully open, as one news service shows next week as having all days above 10C degrees (which would get them open), yet another shows the high temperatures just under 10C. These are ones that have been half open in the warmer West End area - they may never really look good, with the flowers that have been open for a month dropping by the time the rest open. The ones in cooler areas of the city that have not started to open yet might look better. And I'm still not doing anything more with the map dates until things get started. I moved them back a month from last year and am holding tight on that. Right now, according to previous cold years and the current state of non-bloom, the 'Akebono' trees at Burrard Station should not open until Easter, April 16. Maybe by then, the ones in the rest of the city will open around the same time. But I am certainly no better at predicting these things than the festival folks in Washington, DC. The good thing is that the 'Akebono' have not started to open, so the cold weather we've had should not be a problem for them.

    I've mentioned this elsewhere - our latest posted date for snow on cherries was April 19, 2008:
    Marpole
     
  8. Vi Nguyen

    Vi Nguyen New Member

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    Thank Cutler for the information. I know how hard it is to predict blooming time this yeary due to the weather. Actually, I delayed my trip to April 16th - April 21st. But based on what you predict above, I think I'd better delay some more days...Because I really want to see the cherry blossom in full bloom (or almost)...
     
  9. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    Well, the forecast shows all days over 10C degree days starting next week. I guess the trees you want to see could be later than April 16, but they never have been, and those dates are too early for the later pink 'Kanzan' trees. Come on the 15th so you can go on my walk on the 16th! And anyway, come to Douglas Justice's walk on the 17th. See Tree Talks & Walks - Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival.
     
  10. Vi Nguyen

    Vi Nguyen New Member

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    Well, actually there's no specific trees I want to see. I just want to see cherry blossom blooming along the streets like in photos people took on Internet ^_^. I dont know whether until April 16th will any trees will bloom already yet or they all still hold after that? And I hope the weather wont be too bad because I dont like raining :(. The walk sounds fun, I will join it on 16th!
     
  11. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    Well, this is the wrong city for not liking rain!
    We still seem to be on the 2009 schedule, and that year, the 'Akebono' cherries were open all over the city on the dates you will be here. There are not as many of them as there are 'Kanzan', which should open in the first week of May, but the festival is over by May, so you may as well keep your current schedule.
     
  12. Vi Nguyen

    Vi Nguyen New Member

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    Scenes of Sakura, Plum and Cherry Blossoms of Vancouver
    Thank Cutler :). Here is the link I found on Internet writing and posting some photos of cherry blossom in Vancouver. Except for Kanzan, do you know what are the other kinds of trees in the photos? Honestly, I dont know much about the different kind of cherry blossom trees, only Somei Yoshino because it's quite popular. And by the time I'll come, you think the trees can open like this yet?
     
  13. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    Oh boy, is this a test? You might want to order our Ornamental Cherries in Vancouver book, to read through before you come and then bring along with you. See Ornamental Cherries - 2014 Edition - Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival.
    Ok, here goes, in order, unless I missed one.
    1. 'Akebono', Graveley at Windermere, should be in bloom
    2. 'Kanzan', most-planted cherry on Vancouver streets, will not be in bloom, probably until beginning of May
    3. same as 1, probably same location
    4. 'Akebono'. Queen Elizabeth Park is much colder than the rest of the city, may not be in bloom for you
    5. same as 1, probably same location
    6. 'Akebono' in south Burnaby somewhere
    7. same as previous
    8. same as 1, probably same location
    9. 'Kanzan', mentioned above
    10. Plum, may be finished, but maybe still around in cooler areas
    11. 'Kanzan', Mt Seymour, will not be in bloom
    12. 'Kanzan', Knight and Kingsway, not in bloom
    13. Sweet cherry, Prunus avium, probably not in bloom yet. A lot of our trees were grafted onto this type of cherry. It looks like this is a street of 'Kanzan' trees, with either some rootstock avium growth, or a treet that has totally lost the 'Kanzan' top and is now just avium. Lots of trees are part pink and part white.
    14. same as 1, probably same location
    15. Fraser Valley, says plums, but it's 'Shiro-fugen' cherries
    16. Magnolia, not sure which cherry in the background
    17. 'Akebono' in south Burnaby somewhere, featured above
    18. 'Kanzan', will not be in bloom
    19. 'Akebono'
    20. 'Kanzan', as described
    21. 'Akebono' in south Burnaby somewhere, featured above
    22. 'Akebono'. Queen Elizabeth Park, as described above
    23. says plum, but it's 'Shiro-fugen' cherries, possibly the location mentioned above
    24. I have trouble with this, not seeing the flowers - is it the 'Akebono' street same as 1, probably same location?
    25. 'Akebono' in south Burnaby somewhere, featured above
    26. 'Beni-shidare' at VanDusen. We're hoping they will be out for Sakura Days April 8-9, very likely to be open, very nice. You could buy our book at VanDusen if you don't order it to study up on the cherries before you come.
    27. same as 1, probably same location, same cat, isn't it?
     
    Last edited: Mar 17, 2017
  14. Vi Nguyen

    Vi Nguyen New Member

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    Oh no, I'm sorry. I dont mean to annoy you with this stuff :(. I just want to ask you name of some kinds of cherry blossom in the photos, no need with order because I'm too eager with the cherry blossom in Vancouver and wonder if I'm lucky enough to catch the moment when they bloom. Thanks for your help and I think I'm gonna keep my current schedule, no more delaying.
     
  15. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    Ha, no problem - I like tests. :) And besides, I linked on that page to my posting above and asked him if he wants to be a cherry scout.
    Be sure to introduce yourself to me at one of the walks.
    +*+
    Wendy
     
  16. Vi Nguyen

    Vi Nguyen New Member

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    I definitely will. I will keep following your updates on website and forums.
    See you in Vancouver :)
     
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