March 17, 2024. The third of what is turning out to be a series of single pink blossoms is ‘Beni-shidare’. You won’t confuse these cascades of pink blossoms with ‘Whitcomb’ or ‘Okame’, which trees have a more upright shape. It also should be at least a few weeks later than the previous two.

Beni-shidare_AlexandraPark_Cutler_20240314_150321
Beni-shidare_AlexandraPark_Cutler_20240314_150321

You can find blossom photos with descriptions that were featured here at Blog – Yesterday’s news and more – Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival (vcbf.ca).

Scouts have shared their finds on our forums at VCBF Neighbourhood Blogs | UBC Botanical Garden Forums.

You can find the new 2014 enlarged edition of the indispensable guide to Ornamental Cherries in Vancouver, written by Douglas Justice, Associate Director & Curator of Collections at UBC Botanical Garden. Purchase the full eBook version here on our Shop.

International Cherry Blossom Prediction Competition

Submissions are in from the international prediction competition, “When will the cherry trees bloom in 2024?”. The predicted date for ‘Akebono’ trees studied from Vancouver (Maple Grove Park in Kerrisdale) is April 3, just four days earlier than last year’s peak bloom. You can read about the predictions at https://competition.statistics.gmu.edu/.

The competition organizers provided all the publicly available data they could find on the bloom date of cherry trees. Competitors used this data, in combination with any other publicly available data, to create reproducible predictions of the bloom dates at five locations around the globe.

The organizers are hoping to help scientists better understand the impacts of climate change.

You can find the photos of the 2023 blooming development at https://vcbf.ca/2023/04/09/yesterdays-news-2023-international-cherry-blossom-prediction-competition/. We are using the same trees as last year.

Here are the first photos from 2024, taken March 10. The development here is similar to what was photographed last year on March 21. The group in the third photo are a little ahead of all the others. Photos are by Wendy Cutler.

Photos below were taken at 6:30pm PDT on March 15. The daytime highs were around 7 C degrees, until the last two days when they reached 10 degrees. Almost all buds have emerged from their bud scales, and some pedicels are visible, to .5 cm.

March 17, photos taken at 1:30pm. We are into the fourth sunny day with temperatures around 15 C degrees. We are ignoring the young fourth tree here. The three old trees are progressing at a different rate. It’s hard to see progress on the middle tree; the other two have blossoms lightening in colour, slightly enlarged, with most pedicels noticeable. The last four photos are of the most advanced tree, the one closest to the main road.

Festival Favourites

Some of our festival favourite photo-op locations were shown here during the bloom season with current year photos and the approximate blooming dates. Red markers on our festival map show all our favourite locations. ​​​​When we talk about Festival Favourites, we mean you will be happy you made the trip to see them to photograph them. When you’re there, remember the neighbours:

1) do not climb the trees
2) do not break the branches
3) be respectful of the residents who live on the street
4) do not stop in the middle of the street
5) keep your visit to a max of 15mins (cause really, how long does it take to snap a few photos?)
6) stay on city property, do not go on private property
7) try to stay off the grass, especially if you are wearing heels.
Mostly – be respectful to the environment and the residents. Remember that it is the residents who are responsible for caring for those trees.

Learn How to Take Cherry Blossom Photos with your phone thanks to Cakewalk Media for the tips!

Festival Favourites in bloom

No cherries are in bloom now. You too can become a Cherry Scout and share photos with us next year – see Cherry Scouts – Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival (vcbf.ca)

Festival Favourites no longer in bloom

These locations are a sample of the good photo-op locations that were reported on our forums at  VCBF Neighbourhood Blogs | UBC Botanical Garden Forums in 2023.

Shiro-fugen_CambridgeKaslo_20230508_Shen_IMG3045
Shiro-fugen_CambridgeKaslo_20230508_Shen_IMG3045
Hastings-Sunrise Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: May 1 to May 23
Shiro-fugen_AquaticCentre_Cutler_20230511_145936
Shiro-fugen_AquaticCentre_Cutler_20230511_145936
West End / Stanley Park Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 24 to May 16
20230508 WilliamsTempleton Kiku-zakura Willard IMG_4214 2
20230508 WilliamsTempleton Kiku-zakura Willard IMG_4214 2
Grandview-Woodland Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: May 1 to May 22
Shiro-fugen_201aST Michaud Cre _ maylin_20230502_IMG_3395
Shiro-fugen_201aST Michaud Cre _ maylin_20230502_IMG_3395
Langley City and Township Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 27 to May 18
20230506_Shirofugen_YewW43_Eng_8180
20230506_Shirofugen_YewW43_Eng_8180
Kerrisdale Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: May 1 to May 15
Kanzan_FraserCemetery_josiemccarthy_may3-2023_5
Kanzan_FraserCemetery_josiemccarthy_may3-2023_5
New Westminster Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: May 1 to May 15
20230429_30thDumfries_Kanzan_Blumenthal_3406
20230429_30thDumfries_Kanzan_Blumenthal_3406
Kensington-Cedar Cottage Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: May 1 to May 15
Shogetsu_203St82Ave_ maylin_20230502_IMG_0019
Shogetsu_203St82Ave_ maylin_20230502_IMG_0019
Langley City and Township Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 27 to May 11
20230502 NicolaBeach Shirofugen Willard IMG_3884
20230502 NicolaBeach Shirofugen Willard IMG_3884
West End / Stanley Park Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 24 to May 8
20230502 Argyle48 Kanzan Willard IMG_3865
20230502 Argyle48 Kanzan Willard IMG_3865
Victoria-Fraserview Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: May 1 to May 15
20230428_Ichiyo__VivianBrightwood_Eng_7943
20230428_Ichiyo__VivianBrightwood_Eng_7943
Victoria-Fraserview Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: May 1 to May 15
Kanzan_IslandParkWalkOldBridgeWalk_Yong_20230429_IMG_3703
Kanzan_IslandParkWalkOldBridgeWalk_Yong_20230429_IMG_3703
Fairview Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 27 to May 11
20230430_Ukon_7th&Sasamat_Taka 2
20230430_Ukon_7th&Sasamat_Taka 2
West Point Grey Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 19 to May 2
202300430_Shirofugen_OakW43_Eng_8048
202300430_Shirofugen_OakW43_Eng_8048
Oakridge Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: May 1 to May 15
20230428_AviumPlena_W.29Yukon_Eng_7964
20230428_AviumPlena_W.29Yukon_Eng_7964
Riley Park Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 27 to May 11
Kanzan_27thNootka_Yong_20230430_IMG_3726
Kanzan_27thNootka_Yong_20230430_IMG_3726
Renfrew-Collingwood Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: May 1 to May 15
20230428_Ichyio__VivianBrightwood_Eng_7943
Sunset Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: May 1 to May 15
Kanzan_IslandParkWalkOldBridgeWalk_Yong_20230429_IMG_3703
Kanzan_IslandParkWalkOldBridgeWalk_Yong_20230429_IMG_3703
Fairview Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 27to May 11
20230425 JWarMem Shirotae Willard IMG_3244
20230425 JWarMem Shirotae Willard IMG_3244
West End / Stanley Park Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 20 to May 3
Tai-haku_Malvern_JudithAnderson_20230422_IMG_1766
Tai-haku_Malvern_JudithAnderson_20230422_IMG_1766
Burnaby Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 20 to May 3
20230421_Umineko_QEParkDuckPond_Eng_7874
20230421_Umineko_QEParkDuckPond_Eng_7874
Riley Park Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 12 to Apr 27
20230419_Shirotae_DumfriesE36_Eng_7799
20230419_Shirotae_DumfriesE36_Eng_7799
Kensington-Cedar Cottage Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 19 to May 3
20230419_StGeorge31st_Umineko_Blumenthal_3326
20230419_StGeorge31st_Umineko_Blumenthal_3326
Riley Park Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 12 to Apr 27
Tai-haku_BurrardCornwall_Cutler_20230415_141453
Tai-haku_BurrardCornwall_Cutler_20230415_141453
Kitsilano Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 10 to Apr 25
20230413-Somei-yoshino_LowerMall_Maya 1
20230413-Somei-yoshino_LowerMall_Maya 1
UBC Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 4 to Apr 19
Akebono_MadisonCentrePark_Yong_20230412_IMG_7415
Akebono_MadisonCentrePark_Yong_20230412_IMG_7415
Burnaby Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 2 to Apr 17
20230412_Akebono_150B&23A_Taka 2
20230412_Akebono_150B&23A_Taka 2
White Rock / South Surrey Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 2 to Apr 17
Akebono_23rdCassiar_Yong_20230410_IMG_3418
Akebono_23rdCassiar_Yong_20230410_IMG_3418
Renfrew-Collingwood Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 2 to Apr 17
20230411 14thBellevue Akebono Willard IMG_2420
20230411 14thBellevue Akebono Willard IMG_2420
West Vancouver Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 1 to Apr 15
20230411_Beni-shidare-and-Yae-beni-shidare_E35Culloden_Eng_7640
20230411_Beni-shidare-and-Yae-beni-shidare_E35Culloden_Eng_7640
Kensington-Cedar Cottage Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Mar 29 to Apr 16
20230410_Akebono_TownCentrePark StadiumSide_Taka 2
20230410_Akebono_TownCentrePark StadiumSide_Taka 2
Coquitlam Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 9 to Apr 23
20230410 GarryPtPark Akebono Willard IMG_2287 3
20230410 GarryPtPark Akebono Willard IMG_2287 3
Richmond Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Mar 30 to Apr 15
I20240409 RoseGarden Akebono Willard MG_1954 2
I20240409 RoseGarden Akebono Willard MG_1954 2
West End / Stanley Park Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Mar 29 to Apr 19
20230409_Beni-Shidare_VDGtLawn_Eng_7630
20230409_Beni-Shidare_VDGtLawn_Eng_7630
Shaughnessy Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Mar 29 to Apr 12
20230410 ManitobaN41 Akebono Willard IMG_2148 2
20230410 ManitobaN41 Akebono Willard IMG_2148 2
Riley Park Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 2 to Apr 19
Akebono_MapleGrovePark_Cutler_20230407_185847
Akebono_MapleGrovePark_Cutler_20230407_185847
Kerrisdale Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 2 to Apr 17
Somei-yoshino_MarineCr51st_Cutler_20230408_165436
Somei-yoshino_MarineCr51st_Cutler_20230408_165436
Kerrisdale Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Mar 30 to Apr 16
20230403 GeorgiaEDenman Akebono Willard IMG_1734
20230403 GeorgiaEDenman Akebono Willard IMG_1734
Downtown Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Mar 30 to Apr 16
20230403 HorseshoeBayFerryTerminal Akebono Willard IMG_1725
20230403 HorseshoeBayFerryTerminal Akebono Willard IMG_1725
West Vancouver Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 1 to Apr 15
Pandora_Arbutus51st_Cutler_20230401_164049
Pandora_Arbutus51st_Cutler_20230401_164049
Kerrisdale Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Mar 22 to Apr 6
Accolade_5thNootka_Yong_20230402_IMG_3255
Accolade_5thNootka_Yong_20230402_IMG_3255
Hastings-Sunrise Neighbourhood
Bloom Dates: Mar 25 to Apr 8.
Beni-shidare_WestBlvd54th_Cutler_20230401_164633
Beni-shidare_WestBlvd54th_Cutler_20230401_164633
Kerrisdale Neighbourhood
Bloom Dates: Mar 29 to Apr 12.
20230329_Whitcomb_E15Sophia_Eng_7531
20230329_Whitcomb_E15Sophia_Eng_7531
Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood
Bloom Dates: Mar 18 to Apr 5
Accolade_CityHall_Willarad_20230319_IMG_0904
Accolade_CityHall_Willard_20230319_IMG_0904
Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood
Bloom Dates: Mar 19 to Apr 4
Accolade_ChilcoNelson_Cutler_20230319_131654
Accolade_ChilcoNelson_Cutler_20230319_131654
West End / Stanley Park Neighbourhood
Bloom Dates: Mar 19 to Apr 4
Whitcomb_HazelbridgeAlexandra_ Elize_20230318HEIC_IMG_8400
Whitcomb_HazelbridgeAlexandra_ Elize_20230318HEIC_IMG_8400
Richmond Neighbourhood
Bloom Dates: Mar 18 to Apr 5
20230320_Whitcomb_FlemingE32_Eng7503
20230320_Whitcomb_FlemingE32_Eng7503
Kensington-Cedar Cottage Neighbourhood
Bloom Dates: Mar 18 to Apr 5