Name: Warming climate could spell trouble for cherry blossoms
Uploaded: 2025-03-25T03:33:06.739Z
Duration: 2 min 7 s
Description: Cherry blossoms are blooming earlier each year due to our warming climate. However, these trees rely on cold winters to thrive in the spring. Long-term climate projections suggest that rising temperatures could pose a serious threat to their survival.

Cherry blossoms are blooming earlier each year due to our warming climate. However, these trees rely on cold winters to thrive in the spring. Long-term climate projections suggest that rising temperatures could pose a serious threat to their survival.

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Cherry blossoms, known worldwide for their springtime bloom, are increasingly flowering earlier due to climate change. While an extended period of blossom viewing may seem appealing, the underlying reason for this shift has scientists concerned. Cherry trees require cold winters to ensure a robust bloom in spring. The ongoing rise in global temperatures poses a significant risk to their survival, as winters warm and shorten.

Long-term records in North America, where cherry trees were gifted from Japan decades ago, show that peak blooming is occurring approximately five days earlier compared to mid-20th-century averages. In Japan, peak bloom now occurs almost two weeks earlier than in the 1950s. These changes are attributed to winters becoming warmer, which reduces the necessary chilling period that cherry trees need—over 1,000 hours below seven degrees Celsius—to prepare for spring bloom.

Regions like Vancouver are projected to have more days above freezing in coming decades, further diminishing the required chill time for cherry trees. As temperatures rise, the unpredictability of blooming patterns increases, leading to potential vulnerability of trees to spring frost and threatening their long-term survival.



Warming climate could spell trouble for cherry blossoms

Cherry blossoms are opening earlier these days. Yep, it's climate change. But an earlier season doesn't necessarily mean more time to enjoy them. Here's the catch. A warming planet isn't great for cherry blossoms. These trees actually need a certain amount of cold to survive, and that has scientists worried about their future. Every spring, whether you're seeing them in real life or flooding your social feed, sakura blossoms are the ultimate sign the season has arrived. And right now, in places like Vancouver and Washington DC, the show has begun. Scientists in North America have been keeping tabs on these blooms for decades, ever since the trees were gifted from Japan. Sure, weather changes from year to year, but overall, winters are warming up and shortening up. And that's pushing peak bloom about five days earlier on average, compared to the 1930s to 1960s. So how about Japan, where they have records of sakura flowering times going back hundreds of years, making them one of the best documented examples of how climate change is affecting the natural world. In some parts of the country, peak bloom is happening almost two weeks earlier than in the 1950s. Not great news on all fronts. The warmer temps wake the trees up earlier, making them more vulnerable to damage from spring frost. But it's not just the risk of frost. Cherry trees, like many fruit trees, actually need a certain amount of cold before they can be jolted awake. This chilling period happens when temperatures drop below around seven degrees Celsius for long enough. Cherry trees, for example, need over 1,000 hours of chill time. That's more than 40 days. Once they've had their winter rest, they're ready to bloom as soon as it warms up. Here's the problem. According to the IPCC, Vancouver could see 35 more days above freezing in the next 45 years. That means less chill time, more unpredictable blooming patterns, and big consequences for these iconic trees. So however you're celebrating the return of the sakura this year, know that the timing of the springtime tradition is shifting right before our eyes. By the way, we're in the West End. Nelson in Broughton.

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