D.C.’s Yoshino Cherry Blossoms are officially in stage two of their complete nine-stage blooming process, now while there were some conflicting predictions as to when peak bloom in D.C. will occur, the current projection stands that it will likely peak around March 23rd!
What is stage 2 of the Cherry Blossom bloom and why is it important?
The second stage of the Yoshino Cherry Blossoms bloom process is officially referred to as “Florets Visible” and officially started on March 5th! The significance of stage two is the understanding that the weather has been warm enough consistently to allow the “green buds” from stage one to start to reveal the florets that they contain.
When did stage 1 of the Cherry Blossom bloom start and what was it?
Stage 1 of D.C.’s Cherry Blossoms’ bloom process is referred to as “Green Buds”, it refers to the very start of the Cherry Blossom ‘season’ in which the flowers are officially starting to develop! Being the first stage of the blooming process it’s a highly anticipated yearly event! This year, we officially entered stage 1 of the blooming process on March 2nd, meaning that the Cherry Blossom blooming process moved quickly, only needing three days to advance to stage two!
What stage of the Cherry Blossom bloom is next?
For those number aficionados keeping track, following stage 2 is… you guessed… stage 3 (shocking we know), and it is referred to as “Florets Extended”. It is the first stage of the blooming process in which the iconic rosy pink can first be seen.
How many stages are there in the Cherry Blossom blooming process?
In total there are nine stages of the Cherry Blossom’s blooming process, however, only the first six stages of the process refer to the Cherry Blossom’s actual bloom that takes place every year sometime between mid-to-late March to early-to-mid April. As you can imagine, when the Cherry Blossoms enter each stage can be predicted in advance with some accuracy, by looking at upcoming weather reports as well as understanding D.C.’s recent climate, the predictions made by the likes of the National Park Service every year are not always correct. As you can imagine, cold winters or sudden temperature drops in March could result in a later usual Peak Bloom, whereas the opposite is true if there happens to be consistent warm temperatures leading up to Spring.
That being said, the exact stages of the
Stage 1 – Green Buds: Buds begin to swell and a green tinge appears as the trees prepare for blooming.
Stage 2 – Florets Visible: Tiny florets become visible within the buds as they progress towards blooming.
Stage 3 – Florets Extended: The florets extend further from the buds, signaling imminent blooming.
Stage 4 – Peduncle Elongation: Peduncles, or flower stalks, lengthen, bringing the blossoms closer to full bloom.
Stage 5 – Puffy White: Blossoms reach their “puffy white” stage, with petals fully formed but still closed.
Stage 6 – Peak Bloom: At least 70% of the Blossoms are fully open, displaying their delicate beauty in full bloom.
Stage 7 – Green Leaves: The Cherry Blossom blooms have fallen away, leaving only the tree’s green leaves behind.
Stage 8 – Fall/Autumn: The Cherry Blossom’s leaves turn an iconic fall color palette ranging from bright yellows to deep reds, and covering the full spectrum in between.
Stage 9 – Winter Dormant: After the Fall’s leaves have fallen the tree goes into a dormant period, awaiting next spring to bloom once again, starting the annual cycle once more.