Budburst

February-May

Observe a Cherry Tree

In many parts of the country, the arrival of cherry blossoms is a sure sign that spring is here. Native to Japan, these beautiful and showy trees captivate the senses with their magnificent blooms and soft scents—and have been celebrated in their homeland since 900 AD. The tradition of cherry blossom festivals in the United States began in Washington D.C. in 1927 and now many communities across the U.S. host festivals as well.

Since so many people are outside enjoying these trees, spring is a great time to focus attention on seasonal change. You can participate in the Cherry Blossom Blitz from February into May, or whenever cherry trees are blossoming in your area. Locate a cherry tree, observe, and report to Budburst what your tree is doing!

Cherry Blossom Blitz is the only study of its kind using cherry blossom data collected by the public for research. In November, 2011, scientists studying cherry blossom phenology used data from Budburst to test their models about changing blossom times. Their research suggests the Cherry Blossom festival in Washington D.C. may need to occur in late February by the end of this century.

Continuing to gather data through the annual Cherry Blossom Blitz provides scientists and the public with more data over time. Data that can be used to compare this year’s blossom dates to dates over previous years and reveal trends and help event planners to project peak bloom dates for future festivals.

How to observe and report:

Reporting on your local cherry tree as it blossoms is easy! Note: with cherry trees, flowering occurs before leafing—this is not the case with all deciduous trees. Here’s how to get started:

Identify your Cherry Tree

There are eight cherry species on the Budburst Plant List. Even if your cherry tree is not on our list, you can still add your cherry species to our list yourself and submit a report.

Log into your Budburst Account

Submit a phenology observation using your handheld device or record your observations on a field report form (downloadable from the plant webpage) and post your findings later.

Track your data

Check your cherry blossom data from previous years in your Budburst Account, or view data from other observers using the Data menu. Ask yourself: Is this year's blossoming earlier or later than previous years?

We invite you to track your tree over the entire growing season. Submit multiple observations to follow your tree through multiple phenophase events: Bud burst, first leaf, all leaves unfolded, first flower, full flower, first ripe fruit, full fruiting, 50% color and 50% leaf fall.

All observations are helpful in understanding how plants respond to changes in climate and atmosphere over time.