Autumn Blooming Cherries

Cherry blossoms in December? It may be hard to believe, but there are indeed cherry trees in bloom at BBG this week!

While out on the grounds today I came across three cherry trees in bloom. After spending some time marveling and photographing the blossoms, I asked BBG's Japanese Hill-and-Pond curator Brian Funk if what I was seeing was normal for this time of year.

He informed me that while it's common for the everblooming cherry (Prunus 'Fudan-zakura') and the autumn-flowering cherry (Prunus x subhirtella 'Jugatsu-zakura') to be blooming in December, it is a bit irregular for Prunus 'Hally Jolivette' to have so many blossoms. Brian told me that usually for the cherries to bloom in December there needs to be a cold snap followed by warm weather. Earlier this week Brooklyn had temperatures reaching towards 60 so that might have helped encourage these beauties to bloom. Provided it doesn't dip below freezing, the blossoming should continue throughout the weekend and into next week.