This winter’s harsh weather is good for Macon’s cherry blossoms

This winter’s arctic blasts have brought bitter cold, freezing rain and snow flurries  to Macon, forcing residents to protect pets, pipes and tender plants.

But February’s frigid temperatures shouldn’t have any negative impact on March’s cherry blossoms, say those in the know.
Cherry trees require a certain amount of time in the cold to bloom. It’s the timing of warm temperatures that will ultimately determine if the pink blossoms will make an appearance for Macon’s marquee event, the Cherry Blossom Festival, scheduled for March 20-29.

To understand what makes the pink come forth, The Melody spoke with Bill Fickling, grandson of the city’s original cherry tree planter, and Kathy Hensley, a master gardener at Bibb County’s University of Georgia Extension Office. 

How will the latest cold spells affect cherry blossom trees?

The recent polar vortex is “very good” for Macon’s cherry blossom trees, Fickling said. 

The timing of the cherry tree bloom is dependent on if and when the trees receive their last chill hours, as well as when things start to warm up again.

Explain “chill hours.” How many have we had and how many do we need for maximum blooms during the cherry blossom season?

Chill hours are defined as the number of hours a tree spends in temperatures below 45 degrees, Hensley said. 

In order to bloom, cherry trees typically need to accumulate 1,000 chill hours, but have sometimes bloomed with less. So far, Macon’s cherry trees have accumulated about 895 chill hours, according to UGA weather station data.

The chill hours set the stage for the tree to come out of dormancy, Hensley said. Excess cold hours do not hinder the tree’s ability to bloom. 

What do we NOT want to see, weather-wise, between now and the blooming season?

Warm weather followed by a chill could push back the bloom time or cause trees to not bloom. The blossoms do not fare well in windy conditions either.

What variety of cherry blossom trees do we have in Macon?

Macon has over 37 different cherry tree varieties planted, with the predominant variety being the Yoshino cherry tree.

The other varieties include Kwanzan, Sakura, Higgan, Okame, Taiwan and Helen Taft trees.

The Yoshino variety requires more chill hours than other types of cherry trees. Milder winters have allowed pests and fungus to attack Yoshino trees. 

Historically, when have the trees usually bloomed here?

Usually, that date falls around March 23, give or take two weeks.

That’s according to Fickling, whose family has kept track of the average peak bloom date of the family’s cherry trees at their Ingleside Avenue home since 1968.

What’s considered peak bloom?

Full bloom is when 70% of the flower beds are open, Hensley said.

Peak bloom typically comes at the midpoint of the trees’ seven-to-10 day blooming period. 

Because of the difference in microclimates between downtown Macon and north Macon, peak bloom may not be achieved at the same time. 

Are we on track to have maximum bloom coincide with the festival?

“If the current cold weather continues, they’ll bloom on time or slightly earlier,” Fickling said.

“We’re just not there yet. The only thing we know right now is that we have enough chill hours for a normal bloom,” Hensley said.