Overview
- Jackson Park’s Columbia Basin, which began showing flowers over the weekend, had more than 200 trees in bloom by Monday, and the Park District expects many to reach full blossom in 5 to 10 days.
- Officials say most trees are at bud Stage 3 and moving toward Stages 4 and 5, with steady temperatures and recent rain setting up a robust display.
- The Park District notes the peak usually lasts 7 to 10 days and will host a free Hanami gathering at the basin on Saturday, April 25 from 1 to 3 p.m.
- The cherry program started in 2013 and now tops 200 trees through a partnership with the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Chicago, with Snow Goose, Snow Fountains, Yoshino, and Accolade varieties planted to stagger bloom times.
- Across New York and New Jersey, parks report active blooms, and Central Park, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, the New York Botanical Garden, and Branch Brook Park offer real-time trackers to help visitors plan.