5 Fast Facts About Cherry Blossoms

There is nothing quite like the show of small petals covering flowering cherry trees on a clear spring day; their flowers are beautiful at all stages – from first bud break through emergence into full flower… and even as the petals shower onto the ground.  The ephemeral nature of ornamental cherries is what makes them all the more special.

Here are a few facts about cherry blossoms:

1. Flowering cherry trees are small to medium-sized plants and they are one of the most diverse groups of ornamental trees in our area.
2. Cherry trees are members of the rose family, and like all its members, they require full sun and good drainage.  
3. Their small delicate petals come in colors ranging from white to light pink, and even some darker pink-reds.   
4. As part of the Sesquicentennial celebration of 1926, the Japanese government gifted flowering cherry trees to the city of Philadelphia and some of these original trees can still be seen in Fairmount Park.  
5. Since 1998 the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia has planted more than 1000 cherry trees throughout the city.  

See Morris Arboretum's cherry blossom collection in bloom this April. Learn more.

3 Green Ways to Celebrate Mom

1. Give her that hard-to-find plant she's been looking for.

Shop our Annual Plant Sale for an extensive selection. Plus: Members save 10% on their entire Plant Sale purchase and choose a free dividend plant.

Members Day: Friday, May 8 - 10:00am to 7:00pm

General Public: Saturday, May 9 - 10:00am to 3:00pm

Learn More

2. Take her to brunch at our 3-Star Green Certified Cafe! (Update: Sold Out)

Reserve your spot today for this special culinary event; two seatings to choose from.

Sunday, May 10 - 9:30am or 12:00pm

Make Reservations Now 

Photo: Ryan Estes Photography

3. Spend time together outdoors.

Chances are, mom just wants to spend quality time with those she loves most on her special day. Stroll through the garden, enjoy spring blooms, and don't forget to let her know how much she means to you!

Predicting Cherry Blossoms

Photo: Judy Miller

Author: Anthony Aiello - The Gayle E. Maloney Director of Horticulture & Curator, Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania

Ornamental cherries (Prunus) are one of the main reasons that spring is my favorite time of year.  I know that spring has reached its peak when these trees are in full flower. After our hard winter and cold start to spring, you may be wondering if and when the cherry blossoms will arrive.  I can easily answer the ‘if’ question and say definitively that they will flower this spring.  As for the ‘when’ question, that is more complicated, but I can at least provide some background.

Recently the National Park Service has predicted that peak bloom dates for the Yoshino cherries around the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C will be delayed until sometime around April 11-14th (see D.C. dates).  Similarly, Jason Samenow of the Washington Post has predicted peak dates between April 9-13th.  Either way, this is about one week later than the historic peak of April 4th in Washington.

Now what does that mean for us in Philadelphia? Normally, I would predict that the peak flowering for the Yoshino cherries along Kelly Drive is roughly one week behind that of Washington.  A lot depends on what happens in the next two weeks, but if temperatures remain below or close to normal, we should expect our Yoshino cherries flowers to peak sometime around April 17-20th.  Although this may seem late, last year the peak along Kelly drive was right around April 16th, so we are not far off from last year, which you might remember was another cold winter.

We invite you to start your own search for the first blossoms of the season at Morris Arboretum's Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival on April 11 and 18. Enjoy traditional cultural events such as performances by the Kyo Daiko Drumming Crew, origami workshop for kids, and tours. See the full line-up here.