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If you鈥檙e planning to catch Toronto鈥檚 cherry blossom trees in full bloom this year, here鈥檚 what you need to know.

When are the cherry blossom trees expected to bloom?

In Toronto, Sakura trees typically bloom in late April or early May. The period of peak bloom is temperature dependent and varies each year.

Between 2006 and 2022, the date of peak bloom for High Park鈥檚 cherry blossom trees has fallen as early as April 13 and as late as May 14.

Some years, peak bloom 鈥� when at least 70 per cent of the blossoms are open 鈥� doesn鈥檛 happen at all due to unsettled weather patterns disrupting the process. Such was the case at High Park in 2016.

This year, High Park鈥檚 cherry blossoms are expected bloom in late April, said Sara Street, executive director of the High Park Nature Centre. As of April 10, round green buds have started to emerge from the blossoms, a sign that the trees have entered the first stage of the bloom development process.

鈥淲e鈥檙e on target with a regular year,鈥� said Street.

The Nature Centre, however, noted on its website that it鈥檚 difficult to accurately predict bloom periods more than ten days in advance.

Generally, warmer weather encourages the Sakura trees to bloom early, while colder weather delays the process.

How long does cherry blossom season last?

Blink and you could miss the bloom. Cherry blossom season, a rite of spring for many Torontonians, is notoriously fleeting. While the entire bloom process lasts about a month, arguably the most beautiful period of peak bloom only takes place over four to 10 days, depending on the weather.

鈥淏ased on what we can see now in the long term forecast 鈥� I鈥檇 say we鈥檙e going to see peak bloom last approximately seven days (this year),鈥� said Street.

There are six stages in blossom development, according to the Nature Centre. The process begins with the emergence of round green buds on the tree branches. These buds then swell to become small florets, which extend out of the buds around 12 days before peak bloom.

Roughly six to 10 days before the height of the blooming process, the flower stems grow longer and you can start to see individual blossoms. Each of these fluffy blossoms then opens on its own, beginning four to six days before peak bloom.

Are cherry blossom trees native to Canada?

While a few varieties of cherry trees, including the pin cherry and black cherry species, are native to southern Ontario, the famous Sakura trees that are most well-known are not native to the region.

In fact, the popular Yoshino cherry tree, commonly found in Japan and distributed around the world, is not native anywhere on Earth. Instead, it鈥檚 a cultivar, a hybrid plant that has been bred for desirable characteristics.

Though these trees are not native to Toronto, they are still beneficial to wildlife, Street said. While the fruit these trees bear is sour to humans, they are often enjoyed by small mammals. Meanwhile, the trees鈥� nectar is consumed by many songbirds.

Why is High Park such a popular spot for viewing cherry blossoms?

Each year, tens of thousands of visitors flock to High Park to catch its cherry blossom trees in full bloom. The public park, just off the shores of Humber Bay, is one of the city鈥檚 most popular locations for hanami, or 鈥渇lower viewing鈥� in Japanese.

The cherry blossoms, largely concentrated in an idyllic sloped grove near Grenadier Pond, have a storied history. The first trees were planted more than half a century ago in 1959, when the then-Japanese ambassador to Canada, Toru Hagiwara, presented 2000 sakura trees to the city of Toronto.

The trees, planted by Hagiwara and then-海角社区官网Mayor Nathan Phillips, were given as a token of appreciation by the citizens of Tokyo, recognizing Toronto鈥檚 efforts to accept relocated Japanese Canadians following the Second World War.

Where else can you view Sakura trees in bloom 鈥� without the crowds?

While High Park is one of the most popular locations in 海角社区官网to view blooming cherry blossoms, there are many other sites across the city where you can catch the seasonal event.

Here are some lesser-known :

• The Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre at 6 Garamond Crt. in North York has a collection of cherry blossom trees surrounding the parking lot and on the north side of the building.

• The John P. Robarts Research Library at the University of Toronto鈥檚 St. George Campus in downtown 海角社区官网is home to some 70 cherry blossom trees, which were planted in 2005.

• In 2003, York University was the first Canadian university to participate in the Sakura Project, which aimed to plant some 3,000 cherry blossom trees in Ontario by 2005. Since then, some 250 of these trees have been planted across the university鈥檚 Keele Campus.

• Toronto鈥檚 sister city of Sagamihara, in Japan, donated 45 cherry blossom trees, which were planted at Birkdale Ravine in Scarborough in 2015 and 2016. The Sakuras, located near the park鈥檚 Pomeroy Street and Lyon Heights Road entrance, were planted to form a tree tunnel.

• Dozens of cherry blossom trees are located throughout the grounds of Exhibition Place 100 Princess Blvd. Some 68 trees were planted in 2002.

• Kariya Park, at 3620 Kariya Dr. in Mississauga, is a Japanese-style garden that includes cherry trees.

• Gairloch Gardens in Oakville is situated between Lakeshore Road and Cairncroft Road and is a popular spot for cherry blossom watching and wedding photography, offering beautiful views of the cherry trees and Lake Ontario.