Sakura Watch April 25, 2026 - First open blossom spotted in High Park today!
Sakura Watch April 25, 2026 - First open blossom spotted in High Park today! Daring the cold, rainy weather, I made my way to High Park for a quick visit before a late morning appointment and left with a wonderful find. Despite the colder weather, many of the buds were showing their white, but were still tightly closed, waiting for a warmer, sunnier day. Read more below and watch the video to see my latest visit.
Watch the YouTube video update below.
First open blossom spotted
After a quick scan of the trees by the Sportsfields, then a follow-up look atop and along Cherry Hill, I was happy to see some progress. Most of the blossom buds were now showing bright pink and white tips, which are actually their petals once they unfurl. Due to the colder, rainy weather I wasn’t holding out much hope of seeing any open flowers, but I filmed a quick bit in the short amount of time I had and decided it was time to leave.
But as I was walking back along the roadway to Bloor St., I spotted a small cluster of white amongst the lower branches of one of the larger lone trees that is nestled just off the path. This tree, a favourite among wedding photographers due to its relative isolation, proved to be my shining beacon of hope and set the tone for a brighter day! The screen grab from my video shows the open sakura cherry blossom, hampered by the weight of the water droplets from the rainfall. All it needs is another warm sunny day to open itself up and greet the world in all its beauty!
Bloom has begun, but less than 10% for now
So now the excitement begins as we officially launch the 2026 sakura cherry blossom bloom in High Park! The weather is looking favourable for the next couple of days, which will greatly accelerate the blossoming of more flowers. By mid-week, depending on the weather and the amount of rain we get, we should be close to full bloom, when the trees reach at least 70% of open blossoms, which should start around April 28. The peak bloom, when the trees are at least 90% open, will begin at the end of April and into the early May weekend. All of this depends largely on the ideal conditions of sun and warmth to stay in place over the days ahead, but I will be back on Tuesday to check in on the progress, so 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.