Yes, only two days till spring.
After a couple of colder weeks, including a cold front and a snowstorm, we finally get some warmer days, and it defiantly starts to feel like spring. More flowers are coming out, and there’s much more to see. Many Daffodils are blooming around the city, and Magnolias are coming out. Okame cherries are in full bloom, and we are looking at the progression of the Yoshino Cherries. While February was much milder and speeded things up, the cold at the begging of March slowed things down, but we are still a bit ahead of where we were last year. Keep reading for some comparison between this year to last year.
March 19, 2023 – Okame Cherry trees are in full bloom. These are the first Cherries to bloom with bright pink flowers that give us much joy after a cold winter.
The following pictures are from McCarren Park in Williamsburg and Central Park.
If you are looking for the best places to watch the Cherry blossom, we create a list just for you:
Best places to catch the Cherry Blossom in NYC
What about the Yoshino Cherry?
Yoshino Cherry (or Japanese Flowering Cherry) is the one most are looking for, with a bit of almond-scented and whitish-pink blossoms, which bloom in spring on magnificent bare branches.
Depending on the temperatures, you should expect their peak bloom in the city around the first half of April.
The peak bloom in 2022 was on April 8, so if conditions remain the same, we might see that around the same time.
We are looking at six stages until reaching peak bloom:
- Green Buds
- Florets Visible
- Florets Extended
- Peduncle Elongation
- Puffy White
- Peak Bloom
We are currently in the first stage, but with the expected warm temperatures, we will see them reach the second and third stages within a week or two.
The Brooklyn Botanical Gardens has published its Cherry Blossom Map Track to see what’s in bloom around the Japanese gardens:
For more information, check their website: https://www.bbg.org/collections/cherries
Cherry Blossom – NYC Vs Washington DC
There are three predictions of when the Cherry blossom will reach its peak bloom in Tidal Basin at Washington DC.
National Park Service: March 22-25.
Washington Post: March 19-23.
NBC Storm Team 4: March 15-20.
They all usually update the predictions during the season.
Depends on the weather, It usually takes 2-3 more weeks for the NYC to reach its peak bloom, .
For comparison, in 2021, cherry blossom in DC had peaked bloom on March 21, while NYC reached the peak bloom on April 7.
In 2022, cherry blossom had peaked bloom on March 22, while NYC reached the peak bloom on April 8.
If you want more information about the cherry blossom in DC, I recommend following https://cherryblossomwatch.com @cherryblossomwatch for all reports.
Magnolia
Last year we experienced a devastating cold front that burned all Saucer Magnolias around the city (as well as in Washington DC).
Luckily, This year the snowstorm came before Magnolia’s flowers popped out, so we hope to see them in full glory.
I was surprised to spot a small Star Magnolia in full bloom.
Here are pictures from a beautiful Saucer Magnolia Tree and a Star Magnolia in Greenpoint:
Callery Pears
Callery Pears are very popular around the streets of all five boroughs.
They are very close to blooming and should be in full bloom around the same time in 2022, which was April 4.
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NYC SEASON WATCH 