2014 UW cherry tree watch, March 21 update: Bloom at 100 percent

Sandra Hines News and Information

UPDATE FRIDAY MARCH 21

Thursday was the first day of spring and the cherry trees in the Quad responded and are now in full bloom. This will be a great weekend to come out, according to Sara Shores, the UW arborist.

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UPDATE TUESDAY MARCH 18

Cherry trees in the Quad are now at 75 percent bloom and should be in full bloom by this weekend, March 22 and 23, according to Sara Shores, the UW arborist. They should still look nice the following weekend, March 29 and 30, but will definitely be on the downhill side of the bloom, she said.

The timing of the full bloom and how long it lasts depends on the weather, of course. Cold weather prolongs blooms, while heavy rains knock the flowers off.

Most trees in the Quad are a little more than 80 years old, with the typical life span for such trees being 75 to 100 years.

“I think the trees are in good health for their age,” Shores said. “I think they have a lot of life left in them, especially the way Chris Holmer, lead gardener for that area, has taken extra special care of them pruning out dead wood and inspecting them regularly.”

For the latest cherry tree updates follow @uwcherryblossom on Twitter, check the UW Facebook page or email the UW Visitors & Information Center, uwvic@uw.edu.

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UPDATE, MARCH 14

The cherry trees in the Quad at the University of Washington had reached 50 percent of their bloom as of March 14, according to Sara Shores, the UW arborist.

The trees were at about 15 percent bloom the day before, and Shores believes the sharp increase was because the trees simply were “ready to pop” and a little warm weather pushed them to 50 percent.

She still expects the trees to be in full bloom sometime next week.

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ORIGINAL STORY, MARCH 13

The cherry trees in the Quad at the University of Washington are beginning to flower and ­– as of March 13 – are at about 15 percent of their full bloom, according to Sara Shores, the UW arborist.

This weekend might be a nice time to come out to see them, she said, although the trees probably won’t be in full bloom until closer to the first day of spring, March 20. The exact date depends of course on the weather.

The Quad isn’t the only place to enjoy cherry blossoms. Other campus locations with cherry trees include San Juan Road in South Campus and just off Red Square by Gerberding Hall. A dozen new cherry trees will be planted in coming weeks between Johnson and Mary Gates Hall, a gift to the UW from the Japanese government.