Wooster Square Blossom Blog: Wooster Square Cherry Blossoms give hope to New Year.

From Apothecary to Blossoms:

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**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