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Here’s everything you need to know about enjoying the burgeoning flora after a long, harsh winter. 

When will the cherry blossoms reach peak bloom?

Cherry blossoms in High Park “usually reach peak bloom” between late April and early May, according to the High Park Nature Centre, but as of late-March, it’s still too early “to make a definitive prediction on when peak bloom will occur.”

The centre said that as of Monday, the cherry blossoms at High Park are in “Stage 4” of the bloom development process. 

“In a few days, we will be able to predict when peak bloom in High Park will occur,” .

Last year, the cherry blossoms reached their peak bloom on April 22, while in 2023, they reached peak bloom on April 20. (The earliest recorded peak bloom of the last 20 years came in 2012, when Torontonians saw their city become partially enshrouded in pink by April 13.) 

How long do blooms last?

Cherry blossoms typically last “between four and 10 days,” , depending on weather conditions. Famously, the flowers’ bloom is short-lived, which of the flowers and , among other environmental factors.

Perhaps the Star’s Joe Fiorito said it best when, in writing about the cherry blossoms’ bloom in 2007, he likened them to samurai or hockey players in that “their glory is beautiful, fierce and brief.” 

Where can you see the cherry blossoms? 

The City of º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍø where blossoms are slated to bloom, including High Park, Edwards Gardens, Trinity Bellwoods Park and Woodbine Park, among others.

More notable spots aside, you can also catch a glimpse on Centre Island beside the William Meany Maze, in Broadacres Park in Etobicoke and near the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre in North York.

Robarts Library at the University of º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøalso boasts a “beautiful canopy” of cherry trees along Harbord and Huron Streets, as the Star’s Gilbert Ngabo wrote in rounding up some of the city’s best spots for cherry blossoms in 2018. 

Will cherry blossoms be in bloom outside of Toronto?

If you’re , you can take in the heavenly sights in Ottawa, the Niagara region and scattered locations in Hamilton and Burlington. 

Outside of Ontario, cherry blossoms are spring stalwarts in Vancouver, Victoria, Edmonton and Montreal, where you can likewise enjoy picturesque views and snap stellar shots.

Is there specific cherry blossom etiquette to keep in mind? 

The city advises blossom admirers against climbing, pulling on or plucking blooms from the trees. Authorities also encourage passersby to properly dispose of their garbage in and around the trees and stay on existing trails to reduce soil compacting. 

“Take only photos and memories,” , “and leave no signs that we’ve been there.” 

Elsewhere, advocates warn that midland painted turtles, baby turtles the size of a loonie, can be crushed by eager crowds looking for the perfect cherry blossom picture.

If you happen to come across a turtle hatchling, the nature centre recommends calling the Turtle Protectors Hotline, and a team of volunteers will search for others and make sure they’re able to safely move about without being stepped on. 

How did cherry blossoms end up in Toronto?

Japanese ambassador Toru Hagiwara — on behalf of the people of Tokyo —  in 1959 as a gesture of thanks for accepting relocated Japanese-Canadians after the Second World War.

As the Star’s Nicholas Keung wrote in 2001, the pink blossoms are “a symbol of goodwill and friendship” in Japan, and a similar donation was also given to Washington, D.C. in 1911. 

Since then, a number of additional trees have been planted across town, attracting tens of thousands of visitors a year during peak season, .

With files from Mark Colley