Sakura Watch April 18, 2026 - Cherry Blossom buds move to Stages 3 and 4 in High Park
Sakura Watch April 18, 2026 - Cherry Blossom buds move to Stages 3 and 4 in High Park thanks to the warmer weather we've been having as of late. Could this mean we will see the bloom earlier than predicted? Maybe or maybe not - it all comes down to the crazy weather we've experienced and the forecast ahead. We have had a lot of rain over the past few weeks, and it has not had any detrimental effects on the trees so far. I'm more concerned about the return of colder temperatures, which will definitely slow things down, depending on just how cold it gets and how long it lasts. Read more below and watch the video to see my latest visit.
Watch the YouTube video update below.
Buds move to stages 3 and 4
The warmer weather we’ve experienced over the past week has greatly helped the sakura cherry blossom trees throughout High Park to progress into Stages 3 and, in some cases, Stage 4. Stage 3 is when we begin to see the tips of the buds expand and expose each of their individual florets. These florets will at first appear green and bronze, but as they develop and emerge from the buds, they take on a dark pink hue.
Once the florets extend even further out of the blossom buds, they begin to move into Stage 4. This is when you can clearly see the elongated shape of each floret with its individual stem. As they continue to emerge, you can also begin to see more details, like each individual leaf that is protecting the light pink and white blossom inside. In a few rare cases, you can even see that the very tips are showing white petals, tightly bound and waiting for their cue to begin opening during the final stages. Here are a few photos from what I saw this weekend:
Cold Weather now, warm weather later
According to the most recent forecast from The Weather Network, overall temperatures are set to fall again over the next couple of days, even to below freezing at night. It might sound scary, but the buds are still fairly protected from cold at this point, and there shouldn’t be any significant impact from such a short bout of cold weather. Add to that that by mid-week, we should be returning to more seasonal temperatures.
Rain has also been very abundant as of late, but as shown by my latest visit, it too has had little impact on the trees. But hopefully it will let up for drier conditions in the weeks ahead, as having some nice sunny days would go a long way toward helping the blossoms along.
Bloom Prediction predicament
So far, the forecast is looking to be in the normal range, so I’m not expecting any early bloom - unless we get a few more days of 20+ degree weather, which would accelerate the buds ’ development processes. On the flip side, any colder conditions would also likely slow the process down, but so far, the forecast isn’t showing that scenario either. So now we wait for the warmer to return. My overall prediction for the bloom in High Park this year still stands: it will start near the end of April and continue into the first week of May.
I’ll be keeping a close eye on the weather now, as it is the deciding factor on when we will bloom. Stay tuned for more updates soon!
Do Your Part to Help the Trees from Damage
As much fun as it is to get up close to enjoy the cherry blossoms truly, there are some who take it a bit too far and cause damage to the tree that can lead to irreparable harm so the trees can not protect themselves from insects and disease and eventually die. This leaves us with less mature trees to enjoy, so please, if you really want to enjoy the blossoms for many years to come, you need to do your part to help protect the trees and prevent any harm to them:
Don’t pick or break off any blossoms
Don’t pull down, shake or break off the branches
Don’t climb, sit or stand on the trunks or branches - the mature trees are very old and not strong enough to support the weight and stress of people, even small children!
Don’t leave any litter IN or around the trees - it’s so sad to see people putting their garbage in the hollow trunks of the older trees, which invites animals and other insects to nest inside and cause internal damage.
DO take photos without harming the trees
DO enjoy the blossoms and respect their immediate surroundings
DO remember that respecting the trees from root to branch will help everyone to enjoy the blooming trees for many years to come
Donate to Support The Cherry Blossoms
The City of Toronto now accepts donations to help maintain existing trees and plant future ones. See this link for details.
Read more details and information on the City of Toronto - Cherry Blossom Website
Thank you all for visiting the site. Be careful, be safe, and watch for more updates soon.