Mar 21, 2026 W50th Ave & Marine Crescent Apologies, I didn't have time to take close ups so I'm not 100% sure on the cultivars. The Akebono still had a lot of buds though.
Mar 21, 2026 Marine Crescent & W50th Ave - 'Akebono' There are 3 trees on the west side of Marine Crescent, north of W50th, that looked like Akebono to me. I vaguely recall seeing them last year but I don't believe I took photos.
@ricchan, that last blossom photo nicely shows off the almost fuzzy-looking pedicels, and the long thin sepals on the back of the flowers, which give the impression from the front of the flowers of stars longer than you see from the front of 'Akebono'.
The ones in full bloom along the street are almost certainly the 'Accolade' trees - that street was originally a festival favourite for that cultivar.
The previous posting at Maple Grove Park was on March 20, two days ago. Those trees have been busy. They are not at peak bloom, but they are already seductive from any distance. I photographed them both days at 6:45pm. On Friday, the young tree and the one nearest Marine Drive were ahead of the pack. Today, the young one is still ahead. The youngster (Tree4): The old tree nearest the parking area (Tree1), is leading the old ones and is not far behind the young tree: The tree in the centre (Tree2) seems to have decided to get with the program: The tree next to Marine Drive (Tree3):
There is so much to see between 51st and 57th, West Blvd. to Yew St and over to Marine Crescent, it would be a great place for a walk if we could be sure of the blooming times. That's the problem. Here are a pair of 'Accolade' just up Yew Street north of 53rd, in a front yard. From Maple Grove Park, going east on Wet 53rd, there are two or three 'Akebono' on the left, and a tree that is so much more white that I took it to be 'Somei-yoshino'. It's even on its own roots, but it's 'Akebono'. The whole block on Beechwood north from West 53rd is planted with 'Akebono'. The star of the show, across West 51st at Beechwood is the world's most beautiful 'Somei-yoshino'.
Mar 23, 2026 @ 19:40 Maple Grove Park Stopped on the way home since I was worried about tomorrow's rain & wind. Overcast and the sun had just set so colours weren't the best but my phone camera brightened the photos. Labelled by matching the locations to Wendy's post. Tree 1 (nearest the parking) Tree 3 (nearest Marine Drive) Tree 4 (definitely the most full)
Mar 25, 2026 @ 16:20 Maple Grove Park Definitely more full than 2 days before. Tree 1 (nearest the parking) Tree 2 (centre) Tree 3 (nearest Marine Drive) Tree 4
Douglas Justice has called the peak bloom for March 27, another two days after the latest photos that still show a lot of buds, with the middle tree holding back the average (and the young 4th tree that was leading the pack not included). At the beginning of last week, we were predicting an earlier peak bloom, but temperatures got cold, down to freezing the night of March 25, and few sunny breaks the next two days. Thanks to @ricchan for catching such good photos when the sun did come out.
The past week's weather has not been freezing exactly, but it's been cold, not 10C degrees during the day. Those trees at Maple Grove Park were still looking excellent on April 3, though they're missing plenty of petals for sure - note the 'Akebono' snow.
The 'Ukon' grove of 10 trees on the west side of Yew (between W. 42 and W.43) is in full bloom at April 9, 2026. Here at this location can be witnessed the colour variation of 'Ukon: noted by Douglas Justice as " the expression of colour can change markedly from year to year". In post #208 on April 7, 2024: this was the colour of the 'Ukon' bloom.
'Shogetsu' throws its light against darkness of the evergreens on the west side of Yew, between W. 43rd and W. 44th at April 18, 2026. Clear photos of the fringed-edged petals on the pale pink blossoms and the corymbs with pedicels and peduncles.
