Spring at the University of Washington is a much anticipated season. This week all 29 Yoshino cherry trees in the quad are in peak bloom and the campus is energized with visitors. The trees are stunning and the emergence of these blossoms, for many, signals a new beginning. 

Sara Shores, UW arborist, shared with the UW News that she predicts the last two weekends of March will provide great viewing conditions. The blooms are likely to stick around with the right conditions: cool weather, minimal wind and rain. Early weekday mornings are the best time to avoid crowds. 

Since 2017 SEFS researchers have been monitoring the trees in an effort to predict peak bloom time – when 70 percent of the blossoms emerge. SEFS professor Soo-Hyung Kim and grad student, Michael Bradshaw, began this quest to predict peak bloom and since then more students have joined in on tracking the phases of bloom. 

SEFS PhD student, Autumn Maust shares more details about predicting bloom time in this video. 

The Yoshino cherry trees are one of many species that you’ll find here on the University of Washington campus. Higan, Hisakura, Mt. Fuji and Shirofugen are other species that bloom later than Yoshino and can be found sprinkled across campus. This campus map of cherry trees is a great resource for a self-guided tour. 

Can’t make it in person this year? Don’t worry, there are campus webcams dedicated to capturing the blooms in all their glory. 

UW visitors are encouraged to use the #uwcherryblossoms hashtag when sharing their pictures and videos on social. 

Have more questions? Check out the cherry blossoms website. 

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