Cherry Blossom Time
The Yakima Valley is magic at this time of the year. March nights are still cold, but warmer daytime temps hint of spring. Washington's cherry and plum orchards are awakening. Cherry fruit blossoms, the inspiration behind our Cherry Blossoms, are white and plum fruit blossoms are vibrant pink. Throughout the valley, the tiny flower buds are beginning to swell. If you listen closely, you can almost hear the change. Birds gather in groups chirping excitedly as if anticipating the brilliant cacophony of blossoms.
During the decades we lived on our cherry orchard, I took daily walks throughout the trees. In early April at the hint of first blossoms, I took as many long walks in the orchard as possible before the honeybees began their frantic flight to pollinate each bloom.
If you are planning a road trip to see Washington’s cherry & plum blossoms unfold, be sure to check online for the date of first bloom in the Yakima Valley or Wenatchee Valley. When watching for blossoms, you don’t want to be too early, but you cannot be late. At full bloom, if heavy rain or wind hits, you can miss out for another year. Next topic: The vital work of the Honeybee.
