‘The trees miss their admirers’: UW cherry blossoms starting to show their colors
Mar 13, 2022, 8:10 AM | Updated: Mar 14, 2022, 6:16 am
Two people visit the cherry blossom trees on the UW Seattle campus. (Photo courtesy of the University of Washington)
(Photo courtesy of the University of Washington)
It may still be winter, but the University of Washington’s cherry blossoms are already starting to show their colors.
Once the trees reach peak bloom, they should stay that way for one to two weeks, as long as there are no storms to knock the blossoms down. That peak period is expected to kick off in a couple weeks, according to UW urban forest specialist Sara Shores.
“We’re thinking we’ll see some blossoms by the end of this week, and a lot more next week, and we’re thinking the weekend of [March] 25 is going to be the full bloom weekend,” she told KIRO Newsradio.
Where you can (and can’t) see tulips, cherry blossoms in Washington
This year, the university is encouraging people to come to campus to view the blossoms. Over the last two years, the UW had dissuaded people from showing up so there would not be crowds of people amid the ongoing pandemic. People are still asked to socially distance, though masks are not required.
“We’re encouraging people to come — I think the trees miss their admirers,” Shores said. “You can make up for lost time.”
If you can’t make it to campus, you can still take the virtual route. The UW cherry blossom camera gives a live look at the quad 24 hours a day, and a new page on the university’s website provides an interactive map where you can learn more about the science of cherry trees.
Shores also notes that people should enjoy the iconic flowers while they can — the trees are in their 80s, and the average lifespan is about 100 years. Plans are being made to plant new cherry trees, but the clock is ticking on the existing group.
“They’re doing very well, but they are getting up there in age, so come see them while you can,” she advised.
