Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Cherry Blossom Special Report: The Deep Freeze

Fortuitous Freak Freeze 

Blasts our Beautiful Blossom Babies!


The National Park's service, Michael Stachowicz is the man in Washington DC when it comes to predicting when the National Cherry Blossoms in Washington DC peak. So when our soon to Blossom Sakura in Wooster Square got covered in snow, then completely encapsulated in ice with an extended
deep freeze, I knew who to turn to for answers.

Mike said let him know. Kind of makes you
feel little Blossomy inside knowing that
Washington is waiting with baited
blossom breath waiting to see what 
happens to our Sakura Square Sweeties.

Turns out, Mike and I are in the same boat.
We haven't had this type of ice storm
when the blossoms were in critical stages:

Extension of florets
average 12-14 days to peak
Peduncle Elongation: 
(Frost Critical, but what about a freeze!) 6-10 days top  peak.
Puffy Pink/White: 4-6 days to peak

I would say most trees are in the 6-10 days to peak.

There are some behind, extension of florets
could peak close to our festival,
especially because it will be colder
over the next 8 days.

However! That is if there is no damage to
our Historic, 
World Famous Wooster Square.

Let's take a look at the damage
First photos from Tuesday.

 Frozen Flower Fun!

Shimmering Square

Everything had a coat of ice...
some plants may not recover...

Icy Pink

Tender Tots

Tears of Ice

Endangered Blossoms

High Hanami Hopes

Frozen in time

Frozen Blossom Prisms

All of Hughes Place looked like this to the naked
eye, it was difficult to translate to digibits.

On hold?

Weight of the World!

Morning Mindfulness

Cold seat

Well, will these continue?

Let's look at the Blossoms today,
Wednesday April 6, 2016

Some browning can be seen.

But the buds were still hanging in. 
Not too many on the ground.

Rest in Pink

Melted and not too bad

Pink Nation!

Park, People, Pizza!

Still cold

Blossom most along got whammed.

Still, it depends on the age of the tree and
where it is on how well they will fare.

This is the tree on Hughes Place that is 
most along, and most damage.

Browner Downer

Park draws interest.

Window Florets

Some damage on these pink purses

Lookin good

Pink stars

We dodged a bullet, but got grazed!

No harm, no flower

Healthy pink babies

Come see the show...

it doesn't last long

So what's the prognosis?

My best guess is most of the park is about 6-10 days from peaking. Hughes place first usually.

From the photos, I can see that there was about
maybe 10-20% affected. Unless those
healthy pink or extended florets just
fall of after being frozen.

Alas, only time will tell. 

If you can get to the park this weekend, the Cherry trees will be in all sorts of blooming state.

Grab your favorite device and start 
digitizing our dutiful dandies!

But you know, that the Blossom Blogger will
be all over these yearly most dearly blossoms.

Look Friday for the next post. Follow the 
Wooster Square Blossom Blog on Facebook,
and me on Twitter and Google +.

Thanks Sponsors!

Call or text Cheryl today!

See You Round the Square!

Daffy's not done!


























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