Wooster Square Cherry Blossoms give hope to New Year.

From Apothecary to Blossoms: 

Photos follow the post

**A Tale of Benedict Arnold, Wooster Square and the Perpetually Blooming Square Yoshino Sakura**

Wooster Square—the cherry blossom jewel of New Haven and one of the top ten places to see cherry blossoms in full bloom in the USA, according to National Geographic Traveler. It has also been the subject of my obsessive blossom blogging for 14 years. After a little rummaging through the posts in the Blossom Mainframe AI, I "unearthed" this delightful nugget of local lore. With the help of additional resources, I have updated these stories that would have otherwise been forgotten.

The Tale:

Buckle up, my fine fellow flower-following fans; it’s a wild ride involving one very successful businessman, ship captain, apothecary, and celebrated Revolutionary War hero general. I am, of course, speaking of the notorious Wooster Squarian Benedict Arnold, whose store was located at the corner of Olive Street and Chapel Street. "B. Arnold Druggist" became the go-to spot for Yale students and the local elite, thanks to Arnold's connections to England, which allowed him to stock the trendiest goods of the era, from perfumes, medicine to imported books. Mr. Arnold had a good relationship and was well respected by almost everyone in town.

But what does this have to do with our beloved cherry trees blooming each spring? Well, sit tight for this Blossom Blockbuster Bombshell of a story.

Jump to the present day. Over the past 14 years I have been following the Blossoms, the Yoshino Cherry Tree on the corner of Academy Street and Chapel Street seems to bloom around the holidays or whenever it desires. Here a bloom, there a bloom no matter the weather or temperature. Why?

Jump back in time when one day, a student under the tutelage of Yale’s fifth president stumbled into Arnold’s apothecary in immense pain. Benedict knew the student and his father. The prognosis wasn't good—the young man was not going to recover from his fatal disease. Arnold, ever the inventive druggist, whipped up a miracle concoction of ether, cannabis, and opium. Miraculously, the nearly emaciated student felt cured and made a beeline for Wooster Park, where he indulged in a feast of oysters sold by local cart vendors on Chapel Street near Academy Street.

Unfortunately, the cure was temporary. The student fell into a deep slumber and died. He was later found leaning against a gaslight at Chapel and Academy, clutching a note with a serene smile. The note read:

*"Although my life is cut short, I was a blessed man on this earth. I thank 'Dr.' Arnold for making my transition to the afterlife free of pain and with a full belly. I am set free to blossom benevolently evermore."*  

—T. (Thadeous) Bloom, Esq.

*(Disclaimer: Some details have been embellished for your reading pleasure. Benedict Arnold did indeed live in Wooster Square and had his office nearby, but the rest is, well, a blossom-tinted fabrication. Enjoy the tale, and remember to stay safe and healthy this New Year.)*

Local lore on why the tree blooms range from location to age some say. However, the first tree that bloomed in the winter gave its last blossom a few years ago and was replaced. Urban Resources replanted a tree dedicated to the remembrance of a son lost before his time.

Lo and behold, with the winter chill, this new young Yoshino Cherry tree picked up the mantle and bloomed over the holidays last year. So far, two days into 2025, the tree hasn’t yet bloomed, but Wooster Square Cherry Blossoms will bloom in just a few months. 

Here, in Wooster Square, blossoms give us life, happiness, and hope for this New Year.

Have a great 2025!

The Wooster Square Blossom Blog 

Sponsored By:

Cheryl Szczarba, Realtor

203-996-8328

Seabury Hill Realtors

233 Wooster Street

New Haven, Ct. 06511

Follow me on Instagram and the Wooster Square Blossom Blog Facebook page!

**Tale of Two Blossoms: Blooming Bliss and Botanical Brilliance**

The Wooster Square Historical Association convened last night for their Annual Meeting. And guess what? For the 14th consecutive year (yes, you read that right), they’ve confirmed the Wooster Square Cherry Blossom Festival for 2025 will coincide with my Blossomation! (Think pink peak popping pleasure, people).

Mark your calendars for April 6, 2025.

But who could blame them?
The Wooster Square Blossom Blog boasts a flawless 100% accuracy rate in predicting when Wooster Square’s pink pretties pop!*

“But really, Mr. Blossom Blogger, Sunday, April 6th? Isn’t that a bit early according to your records?” you might ask.

Good question. Two answers:

First, this has been the HOTTEST year in New England since records began. This could be the year that shatters our mid-April blooming streak.

Secondly, the Festival Committee has to juggle Palm Sunday, Easter, and Passover. After those, there are only a few Sundays left. In 2025, Palm Sunday is April 12th and Easter is April 20th. If the Cherry Blossom Festival were held on the next available Sunday, April 27th, the cherry blossoms might be feigning flowerless, sans Sakura splash.

So, if we do the Blossom Mathematics, global warming plus a late festival date equals risky business. The wise decision is to set the date for Sunday, April 6th, 2025. If the blossoms haven’t yet peaked in pink perfection, you’ll witness their transformation almost right before your eyes.

We can’t wait to ring in our 14th year of the Wooster Square Blossom Blog with all our fine, fragrant flower-following fans! But first, let’s enjoy our fall colors here in Wooster Square while we picnic in the park!

Speaking of the park, people, and picnicking, the Wooster Square Historic Association is sponsoring a Movie Night in Wooster Park! Join your neighbors and make new friends while we enjoy the Disney classic “All Dogs Go to Heaven” this October. Date to follow!

Take a peek at some of the colors that should be coming sooner rather than later

*The WSBB is for entertainment purposes only, void where prohibited, may cause rash decisions, and should not be taken as a substitute for actual meteorological data. May become habit forming.”

See you on Wooster Street,
Or
See you 'Round the Square!

Please follow the Wooster Square Blossom Blog facebook page for more updates.

The 2025 Wooster Square Cherry Blossom Peak Prediction (Blossomation)

As we anxiously await the 2025 Wooster Square Cherry Blossom Festival, (after winter) it's time to make my annual "Blossomation" or prediction on the peak bloom date. This will be the 14th year publishing the Wooster Square Blossom Blog and while I access the Mainframe, let's have some fun with a few old wives' tales that have been used to predict the weather for generations. And in no particular order....

**Woolly Bear Caterpillars**: According to folklore, the amount of black on a woolly bear caterpillar can predict the severity of the upcoming winter. More black means a harsher winter, while more brown suggests a milder one¹.

**Persimmon Seeds**: In the Ozarks, people slice open persimmon seeds to predict winter weather. A spoon shape inside the seed indicates heavy, wet snow; a fork shape means light, powdery snow; and a knife shape suggests cold, icy winds².

**Fat Squirrels and Acorns**: If squirrels are unusually fat and acorns are abundant, it’s believed that a tough winter is ahead. This is because animals tend to store more food and fat in preparation for harsh conditions².

**Hornet Nests**: The height at which hornets build their nests is said to predict the severity of the winter. Nests built higher off the ground indicate a lot of snowfall, while lower nests suggest a milder winter².

**Cricket Chirps**: You can supposedly estimate the temperature by counting cricket chirps. Count the number of chirps in 15 seconds and add 37 to get the approximate temperature in Fahrenheit¹.

Who knew? Let's get to it! 

**The 2025 Cherry Blossom Peak Prediction:**

Now, after consulting the National Weather Service, NASA, the Interior Secretary, and most importantly, my Blossom Blog mainframe, I am excited to announce that the cherry blossoms will peak on 

**Sunday, April 6th, 2025**. 

Mark your calendars and get ready for a beautiful display of nature's Square splendor! As always, I will be taking photos to cover the entire process, so no matter when they bloom, you will know if you follow up on Facebook, Instagram and Txitter. 

So, our perfect pink pretties will be coming a little earlier this year? Let's see how it plays out.

As always, predicting the exact peak of the cherry blossoms is part science, part art, and a whole lot of fun. Stay tuned for more updates and enjoy the photos from last year's peak bloom that happened to be a rainy, misty day, April.

See You on Wooster Street

or

See You Round the Square!

The Wooster Square Blossom Blog is sponsored by:

Cheryl Szczarba, Realtor

233 Wooster Street

New Haven, Ct 0511

The Fall market is off to a hot start! Call or text Cheryl at 203-996-8328! Cheryl has over 20 years of experience turning clients into friends and neighbors.

--

Source: Conversation with Blossom mainframe, 9/13/2024

(1) Old Wives' Tales to Predict Weather: What’s Based in Science and What’s .... https://www.discovermagazine.com/environment/old-wives-tales-to-predict-weather-whats-based-in-science-and-whats-just.

(2) 12 old wives' tales predict winter weather - Successful Farming. https://www.agriculture.com/family/living-the-country-life/12-old-wives-tales-predict-winter-weather.

(3) 12 old wives' tales predict winter weather - Successful Farming. https://bing.com/search?q=old+wives+tale+predictors+of+weather.

(4) These old wives’ tales try to predict what kind of winter to expect. https://www.wjhl.com/outdoors-appalachia/these-old-wives-tales-try-to-predict-what-kind-of-winter-to-expect/.

(5) Old Wives' Tales to Predict Weather: What’s Based in Science and What’s .... https://preview.discovermagazine.com/environment/old-wives-tales-to-predict-weather-whats-based-in-science-and-whats-just.