Blossom time in the North
Spring in the North is defined by the rolling hills, dotted with cherry trees bursting with blossoms. It truly is a sight to behold, and worth a drive around the area to enjoy the fleeting bloom.
Before we begin, let’s get a few things out of the way: orchards are private property, please enjoy from the road right of way. While growers would love to share an intimate blossom experience with you, we cannot allow you on private property due to liability risks and food safety protocols. Okay, that’s out of the way, let’s get on with a few tips and tricks about enjoying bloom!
Tart cherries in bloom.
When is bloom?
It’s hard to predict an accurate date for bloom, but the general rule of thumb is you can expect bloom around Mother’s Day. First to bloom are the sweet cherries, followed by tart cherries, with apples wrapping up fruit tree bloom. Sweet cherry blossoms are starting to pop around the area—I would expect to see full bloom relatively quickly as soon as we get a dash of warm weather and sunshine. Fruit tree orchards are predominantly found along the coastline, as the microclimate suitable for orchard fruit production rapidly dissipates the further you move inland—that big ol’ Lake Michigan acts like a blanket; keeping the air a bit warmer and provides a great buffer from crop killing spring freezes, perfect for tree fruit production.
Cherry blossoms
So, how can you tell the difference between trees? Tart cherries encapsulate the largest amount of acreage amongst fruit trees in the north, so the odds are in their favor. Tart cherry trees are smaller than sweet cherry trees, with deep red bark on the branches and a bushier appearance. Their bloom consists of almost entirely pure white clusters of blooms, while sweet cherry trees will have delicate chartreuse leaves mixed in with the blossoms. Sweet cherry tree bark is slightly more grey than red, and they are larger, stockier trees. Bee boxes will be found in sweet cherries, as they require cross pollination via a second party, while tart cherries just need a warm, windy day to cross pollinate with their neighbors. If you were to drive around the area today, sweet cherry trees are the ones with green, swollen buds while the tart cherries still appear dormant from a distance. I’m also noticing a little sweet cherry bloom on the top of the tree canopy in most areas. Fun fact about cherries: The gestation period for cherries is 60 days, so you can expect plump, ripe fruit in mid-July to August.
Apple blossoms
Apple trees are much smaller and are beginning to transition to orchards planted in high density methods, i.e. trellis plantings. The apple blossoms (Michigan’s state flower!) consist of five petals, creating a stunning pink to white ombre. Fun fact about apple blossoms: the blooms happen in clusters of ~5-6 florets, with the first floret to bloom known as the “King Bloom.” Apples are technically a biennial crop, and in order to keep trees blooming every year (with perfectly sized fruit), growers will thin the other four fruitlets, leaving the King Bloom to grow until it is harvested.
Where to go
With so many cherry trees in the north, there really isn’t a bad route to take. The cherries in the Traverse City area will bloom first, with the cherries in Northport being the last to bloom. While it might not seem like a huge difference in latitude, it’s significantly colder the further north you go, and thus, the trees take a little longer to bloom. For detailed routes and more information, check out the handy guide Traverse City Tourism created:
TC Tourism Cherry Blossom Tour Guide
I hope you take the time to enjoy the blossoms in the north, whether it’s your first time blossom touring or the 56th time. Take it from this flower/apple/cherry farmer: it never gets old and it’s never the same. My favorite time to view the blooms is during the golden hour, aka the hour or so before sunset. The golden glow from the blooms on the rolling hills are what dreams are made of. This year’s bloom looks to coincide with tulip season, so be sure to grab a fresh bouquet from one of the many local flower farmers in the area. Have any questions about bloom? Let me know!
Tart cherries during the golden hour
Sweet cherry blossoms on a bluebird day
