When will cherry blossom season hit its peak in Vancouver?

Vancouver’s beloved cherry blossoms are an annual highlight, but when will these popular trees begin to flower? And what will be the perfect day to capture that stunning cherry blossom photo?

That question is one being asked not only in Vancouver but in many cities around the world, and if you want to guess the date — you’re in luck.

UBC is kicking off a global contest today to predict the peak bloom dates for cherry blossoms.

Al Lau/Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival

It’s the third time running for the contest that is being led by Dr. Elizabeth Wolkovich, a professor in the Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, who admits this year might be tricky.

That’s because of the “unusually warm winter” we have been experiencing, which has led many to lament not only the sad ski season and record-breaking double-digit temperatures, but also its impacts on nature.

“Cherry trees, like other temperate, woody plants, need a certain amount of
cold days in the winter followed by enough spring warmth to trigger flowering,” she said.

“We know that peaches, for example, will fail to flower without enough cold but our models are not well-tested beyond a few locations for a few species, which is why this competition is so important,” she added.

Skiers in BC have expressed their frustration with the Whistler’s ski conditions. December 20, 2023. (Rise & Alpine/YouTube)

It’s concerning for scientists, who have noticed things being off schedule for a while.

“The cherry blossom season, on average, has begun earlier and earlier over
the past four decades, with some plants or locations having advanced two or three
weeks,” she said.

It’s not only Vancouver where folks will cast their “bet.” They will also have to predict the peak time for other famous cherry blossom-loving cities: Washington D.C.; New York City; Kyoto (Japan); and Liestal-Weideli in Switzerland.

Niigata, Japan/ Shutterstock

If you participate, you’ll be given a few clues based on previous data and statistics to get you started, led through the efforts of Wolkovich and her colleagues — Dr. Jonathan Auerbach and Dr. David Kepplinger from George Mason University.

“Engaging the public in predicting bloom times gets more people talking about
climate change and how it’s affecting nature around us. The contest results, combined
with scientific research, offer a collaborative approach that could also help improve the
accuracy of our forecasting,” Wolkovich said.

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“It’s difficult to forecast peak bloom more than 10 days in advance because
blossom development depends on the weather and local microclimates, which are
different every year. But our first two years of the competition produced some great
results. Some of the forecasts were stunningly accurate, within a day or two of the
actual peaks. We hope to attract even more contributions this year,” Auerbach agreed.

Contestants can live anywhere in the world and must complete their entry by the end of February. The winner of the contest will be announced in late May or early June. To enter, head here.