One of my favorite things to see is fruit trees in bloom. What more is there to say? It is, simply, one of the most beautiful times of the year! These blossoming trees can be seen just about everywhere, from orchards to backyards. So, what is the point and how do we tell them all apart?
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Why Do Fruit Trees Bloom?
Fruit trees bloom so that the flowers can be pollinated, resulting in fruit set. However, only a percentage of the blooms result in fruit. There are some trees that can be self-pollinated, while the rest need to be pollinated from nearby trees that are different cultivars (click here to learn more about sexual propagation). This pollen transfer most often takes place with the help of bees. Without sufficient pollination, the trees will continue to bloom instead of using their resources to produce fruit.
When Are Flower Blossoms Formed?
The buds that result in blooms are formed during the previous summer. Therefore, the crop load during the previous season and cultural practices (e.g., pruning) can affect the amount of buds produced for the following growing season.
What Causes Flowers to Bloom?
Based on the cultivar, there is a specific amount of chilling portions (equal to the total number of hours at which the temperature is below 45°F between November 1 to February 15) required in order for the trees to break dormancy. Once this occurs, the trees initiate their spring growth with their blossoming flowers.
Does the Climate During Bloom Have an Effect?
When there are cold and/or wet weather events while the fruit trees are in bloom, it affects the amount of pollinator activity (e.g., bees). Thus, when there are less bees, there is less pollination that occurs, which results in less fruit set. These climactic conditions can also result in developmental issues for the female parts of the flowers.
Which Fruit Tree Has Which Color Blossoms?
In a dream world, we would be able to look at the color of the flower blossom and tell which type of tree it is. Unfortunately, that is not the case, as the color of the flower blossoms depend not only on what type of fruit tree it is, but also the cultivar type. For example, cherry blossoms can be both white or pink. There is a great resource listed on the Dave Wilson Nursery website that will tell you the flower color of 39 different fruit tree cultivars. This is useful both when selecting a fruit tree for your yard, as well as when you are trying to identify a blossoming landscape tree!
Some examples of different colored flower blossoms are as follows:
What About Fruit Trees That Blossom But Do Not Fruit?
Some blossoming trees do not fruit due to biennial bearing (where they only produce fruit every other year), flower bud death, lack of pollination, etc. Other trees do not fruit since they are ornamental trees and either produce small fruit or no fruit at all. Ornamental flowering fruit trees are very similar to orchard fruit trees. However, orchard fruit trees blossom and then fruit, while ornamental flowering fruit trees may produce edible fruit, but their main purpose is to be attractive landscape plants.
These ornamental flowering fruit trees are not only appreciated in different landscapes, there are even festivals that revolve around the fruit trees in bloom! Some examples include the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC and the Apple Blossom Festival in Sebastopol, CA.
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Thanks for your wonderful website. I like both versions just to read looking flowers and to learn what to do with my flowers.
Thank you for your comment, that is very nice to hear!
Hi Megan, love reading your posts. Keep up the great work. Ed Heller
Thank you!!