It's just about blooming time for North Park's cherry blossoms

Each spring, the drab colors of fall and winter are overtaken in North Park by vibrant hues of pink, as the blooms on hundreds of cherry trees planted in the park since 2009 begin flowering.

But exactly when the dramatic transformation will happen is a mystery.

“We’ve got our best estimates for when the blooms will flower, but Mother Nature doesn’t tell us when the conditions will be right for that to happen,” said Carol Tenny, a member of the Pittsburgh Sakura Project, which has been planting and maintaining cherry trees in the park since 2009.

The project began with 40 flowering cherry trees planted near the north shore of North Park Lake as a tribute to Allegheny County’s Japanese community, according to organizers.

There now are more than 250 cherry trees in the park, with an additional half dozen typically added each year.

Sakura means cherry blossom, and that’s Japan’s unofficial national flower. The cherry blossom symbolizes delicate beauty and transience, new beginnings and friendship between the U.S. and Japan.

Several stands of cherry trees are planted near the park boathouse, along Lakeshore Drive and in various other locations in the park. A map showing where the stands of cherry trees are located can be viewed at the end of Tennis Court Road, which is accessible from the exit of the Boathouse parking lot.

Tenny said “the fleeting nature” of when the blossoms will flower and how long they will remain “are part of cherry blossom’s appeal.”

Sakura Project member Barbara Litt said most of the pink flowered trees are a variety known as the “accolade,” while the white cherry blossoms are a variety called “akebono.”

The park also has early-blooming “okame” cherry blossoms that grow in shades of deep pink, Litt said.

Litt noted that the original project organizers anticipated that it would take about 10 years for the first round of trees planted to mature.

“These trees are just now coming into their own,” she said. “I think it’s a beautiful testament to nature as well as a beautiful testament to international goodwill between Japan and the United States.”

Tenny said the best way to know when the blossoms are flowering is to follow the group’s Facebook page, where regular updates about the progress of the trees are posted.

“I encourage people to take the time to visit the park and experience the natural beauty of the cherry blossoms when they are in full bloom,” she said.

People interested in increasing the number of cherry trees in the park can make a donation or even purchase a memorial tree.