King Cherry Tree at the Seoul Meteorological Administration to observe when the tree is in bloom.
SEOUL, Apr. 1 (Korea Bizwire) – The Korea Meteorological Administration announced on Monday the official sighting of the first cherry blossom blooms in Seoul, marking the onset of spring in the city.
According to the agency, the inaugural blossoms were observed on a cherry blossom tree located in front of the Seoul Weather Station in the heart of the Jongno district.
To qualify as the first bloom, the weather agency requires the observation of at least three flower buds on a branch of the historic tree, which has stood for over 60 years.
This year’s bloom arrived a week later than last year’s, yet it still ranks as the fifth earliest since records began in 1922.
Historically, cherry blossoms typically bloom around April 8th on average, with the earliest recorded instance in 2021 on March 24th.
The shift in bloom dates is believed to be influenced by global warming. Notably, before 2014, cherry blossoms were never officially observed in Seoul during March. However, since then, blooms as early as March 28th have been recorded, with April 14th being the initial bloom date in 1922.
Cherry blossoms typically follow the blooming of forsythia and azalea in South Korea’s springtime, with distinct intervals between each. However, recent years have seen a trend towards more simultaneous blooms, leading to what experts term an “ecological mismatch.”
Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, announced on April 1 that it will introduce the Jeju king cherry tree, an endemic Korean species, to the Yeouidong-ro and Yeouiseo-ro areas of Yeouido, famous for its cherry blossom viewing paths.
This phenomenon poses risks to the survival of insects reliant on cherry blossoms for pollen and honey, as well as to plants dependent on these insects for pollination and fruiting.
Image credit: Yonhap, The Korea Meteorological Administration, Yeongdeungpo-gu / photonews@koreabizwire.com
