Toronto’s cherry blossoms are blooming, and a new guide has everything you need to know about when and where to take in the popular spring-time sighting.
The High Park Nature Centre has relaunched its “Cherry Blossom Watch” for the 2025 season and said that, as of April 28, the blossoms in the west-end Toronto park were in the fourth stage of the bloom development process. Stage four means the “peduncles” - or flower stems - are getting longer and the individual blossoms can be clearly seen.
According to the organization, stage four means peak bloom, which typically occurs between late April and early May and happens when at least 70 pert cent of the blossoms have opened, is right around the corner.
Peak bloom can last anywhere from four to 10 days and is weather dependent, the organization said, adding that cool, calm weather can extend the period while warm, unsettled weather can shorten it.
In a news release on Wednesday, the City of Toronto is predicting that the trees will reach peak bloom later this week due to rising temperatures.
“Cherry Blossom season is a magical and popular experience for Torontonians,” the High Park Nature Centre’s acting executive director Rohith Rao said in a news release. “Cherry Blossom Watch is one of the many ways we promote awareness and respect for nature and build stronger, lasting connections between people and the natural world around them.”
Cherry Blossoms, or Sakura trees, aren’t indigenous to Toronto and were first planted in High Park more than 60 years ago.
According to the city, then Japanese ambassador to Canada, Toru-Hagiwara, presented 2,000 Japanese Somei-Yoshino Sakura trees to the citizens of Toronto on behalf of the citizens of Tokyo in 1959. The trees were planted in appreciation of Toronto accepting re-located Japanese-Canadians following the Second World War.
High Park is the most popular location in the city for nature-goers to view peak bloom. But, cherry blossom trees are also located in Trinity Bellwoods Park, Woodbine Park, and Cedarvale Park, among others. The Exhibition Place grounds and some University of Toronto and York University campuses also house some trees.
The City of Toronto has mapped out a full list of where to view cherry blossoms across the city online.
Tens of thousands of people are expected to visit High Park to view this year’s peak bloom. The city says to manage the volume, there will be no vehicle access or parking inside High Park starting Mon. May 5 for the duration of peak bloom. They’re reminding visitors that vehicle access and parking inside High Park is regularly prohibited during the weekends.
The city is also reminding those looking to view the blossoms to refrain from climbing the trees, pulling their branches and plucking off the blooms as it can cause damage.
