‘Stunning’ cherry blossoms start to bloom in Mississauga
Published April 24, 2024 at 1:05 pm
The annual blooming of cherry blossoms is underway in Mississauga.
City of Mississauga officials said in a post to social media on Wednesday that Kariya Park in the downtown core is beginning to look a little — or a lot — pink.
Brilliant pink, that is, thanks to one of the treats provided each spring by Mother Nature.
“Some of our cherry blossom trees at Kariya Park have started to bloom,” the city said in a post to X (formerly Twitter).
“These stunning trees only flower when temperatures reach at least 15 degrees (Celsius) for a continuous period of seven to 10 days. Hurry and enjoy them while they’re still here.”
The annual blooming of cherry blossoms, which usually arrives around mid-spring or so each year, is best viewed in Canada’s seventh-largest city at Kariya Park, the tranquil Japanese-style greenspace named for Mississauga’s sister city in Japan.
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Depending on how warm the temperatures get, cherry blossoms can start to bloom in Mississauga and across the GTA anywhere from late April, as they did last year, into the middle of May, as they did in 2022.
The blossoms and their ethereal beauty won’t last long, though, according to city officials. Once they bloom, they remain in that colourful state for only a week or two.
“Every spring, Kariya Park in Mississauga transforms into a pink wonderland with approximately 80 stunning Japanese cherry blossom trees in full bloom,” a city spokesperson said in an earlier news release. “These trees, a gift from Mississauga’s sister city, Kariya, boast different varieties and hues. Although the city’s cherry blossom trees bloom at different times, most trees will be in full bloom in the next week or two, weather permitting.
“These beautiful blooms only last for a short time, usually up to two weeks, unless wind or rain knock the flowers off the trees.”
Despite more extreme weather in recent years, a city spokesperson told insauga.com “there hasn’t been any significant impact to the cherry (blossom) trees at Kariya Park.”
While “minor bark peeling may be observed” at this time of year, the spokesperson said in an email “this is normal for cherry (blossom) trees. Staff perform regular park maintenance and monitoring for any potential concerns.”
Kariya Park is a popular spot each year for people looking to catch glimpses of the blossoms. Check out an earlier video of the cherry blossoms at Kariya Park here.
Cherry blossoms have a celebrated history in Japanese art and culture, Mississauga officials noted earlier, adding many of the world’s cherry blossom tree varieties come from the Japanese cherry tree (Sakura).
Outside of Mississauga, people can catch cherry blossom season at High Park in Toronto, Centennial Park in Etobicoke (near Mississauga’s border), Broadacres Park in Etobicoke, Spencer Smith Park and Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington and, a little farther away, in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
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