Cherry blossom season has been as amazing as ever this year in Toronto, but we knew it had to end eventually — and all signs point to this weekend being the last one to enjoy those pink blossoms in full bloom.
Weather always has a major effect on the longevity of the delicate flowers, and a couple of days of rain this week has definitely shortened bloom time this year.
Resident cherry blossom predictor Steve Joniak (also known as Sakura Steve) noted this week that, if heavier than normal rain occurs: “I predict we may lose a significant amount of bloom by the end of the week and head into the Mother’s Day weekend with only about 60% of bloom left on the trees.”
During his visit on Monday, he said the sakura trees by the sports fields as well as those on popular viewing spot Cherry Hill were solidly into peak bloom. The ones by the Dock on Grenadier Pond only recently hit peak bloom, while those by High Park Zoo and Jamie Bell Adventure Playground were only in full bloom (60–80 per cent open blossoms versus 90–100 per cent) as of Monday — so if you’re visiting this weekend, this will be a good spot to see cherry blossoms in their prime!
Recent social media posts from Thursday, May 7 and Friday, May 8 still show plenty of pink flowers in view, but there’s quite a bit of rain in the forecast for Saturday, May 9, which will once again shorten the lifespan of these blooms.
As visitors flock to the park to take photos and get up close to the flowers, people pulling branches or shaking trees could shorten the lifespan of the blooms — so just don’t do it!
Just like last year, the city of Toronto is restricting vehicle access and parking within High Park for the duration of peak bloom, so prepare to head over on foot or on bike.
