Cherry blossoms have bloomed in Mississauga

Cherry blossom season in Mississauga has arrived a little earlier than usual this spring with word that some cherry blossom trees in the heart of the city have already bloomed.

City of Mississauga officials said via social media that, as of Wednesday (April 26), a handful of the trees at Kariya Park had bloomed.

While the blossoms and their ethereal beauty weren’t in full bloom last year in the city until the middle of May, a few days of summer-like weather two weeks ago got the blooms started earlier this time around in Mississauga and across the GTA.

Given those recent unusually warm temperatures across southern Ontario, which on a couple of days rose to nearly 30 degrees Celsius, the cherry blossoms were predicted to bloom in Mississauga and beyond sometime between April 20 and April 28, according to Sakura Watch, a website that monitors the blooms in Toronto.

One of the best places in Mississauga to see them once they are in full bloom is Kariya Park, near the city’s downtown core.

Kariya Park, a tranquil Japanese-style greenspace named for Mississauga’s sister city in Japan, is a popular spot each year for people looking to catch glimpses of the blossoms.

Once the blossoms do bloom, they don’t last very long. So, people looking to spot them up close should do so quickly after they arrive.

Peak cherry blossom season typically comes in late April and into the first couple of weeks in May, depending on the weather. It lasts only a week to 10 days or so.

Some cherry blossoms trees at Kariya Park have bloomed🌸#DYK Cherry blossoms require a minimum temperature of 15 degrees for 7-10 days to bloom.

Remember to get outside & enjoy these beautiful flowers while they're out!

Learn more: https://t.co/h7UXyiVaxb @saugaparksrec pic.twitter.com/ZPHE536VRy

— City of Mississauga (@citymississauga) April 26, 2023

When the blossoms do arrive, it’s a clear sign of spring.

Check out an earlier video of the cherry blossoms at Kariya Park here.

Cherry blossoms have a celebrated history in Japanese art and culture, City of Mississauga officials noted earlier, adding many of the world’s cherry blossom tree varieties come from the Japanese cherry tree (Sakura).

There are some 80 cherry blossom trees in Kariya Park. The delicate flowers, often soft white, blush pink and dark rose, bloom for just a few days.

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.

This year also marks 41 years of Mississauga’s sister city relationship with Kariya, Japan.

Mississauga has called Kariya its sister city since 1981. The Japanese city features a Mississauga Park, opened in 2001, that’s complete with a replica of Mississauga’s City Hall.

Kariya Park in Mississauga opened in July 1992.