When Can I Expect to See Fruit Tree Blossoms in Spring?

A fruit tree is a great addition to any yard. They not only add beauty, but they’re practical as well, as you can eat the fruit directly off your tree. We all know there’s nothing like a freshly baked apple pie, right? Imagine having the apples mere steps away from your kitchen!

Maintaining fruit trees does require a little more time and effort than non-fruit trees. But, of course, it can be very worth it as well. It’s important to ensure that the fruit trees are planted in an area and a temperature where they’ll thrive. Each type of tree has different requirements for this. Additionally, it’s important to know when the fruit tree blossoms. Once you know this, you can plan for when the fruit will start to grow and then ripen. You don’t want it to stay on the tree, overripen, and end up falling on its own and not being edible.

It’s possible you’re someone who’s favorite part of growing fruit trees is actually viewing the beauty of fruit tree blossoms in the spring. These viewing times can depend on the different types of fruit trees you have planted in your yard. While we can’t predict the exact time at which a tree will blossom, the following will give you a general idea of when you can look for fruit tree blossoms in your yard.

Apple Trees

Apple trees may be one of the most popular fruit trees that people choose to grow in their yards. These trees are actually the fruit trees that grow well in various types of weather. Weather conditions, however, will affect when apple trees blossom. It’s possible for two apple trees growing in the same location to blossom at different times, even up to two or more weeks different.

The chilling and heating requirements have to be met in order for an apple tree to blossom. In terms of chilling, the tree must have 1,200 hours in an environment of 40–45 degrees Fahrenheit. In terms of heating, the tree must have 300 hours in 40-degree temperature, in full sunlight. After this happens, leaves will appear on the tree, and three to four weeks later the tree will blossom.

In the Pacific Northwest, apple trees are known to bloom in late spring, usually during the month of May and sometimes after that.

Cherry Trees

Cherry trees don’t thrive in all weather conditions and tend to be more sensitive. These trees mostly blossom during the springtime. In the Pacific Northwest specifically, cherry trees blossom in the late spring and can still blossom even into the early weeks of summer.

The chilling requirements for cherry trees vary and can be as low as just needing 250 to 400 hours of chilling. Other varieties of the tree can need 500 to 700 hours of chilling.

One important thing to note is that cherry blossoms typically last for only two or three weeks. This timeframe can even be cut shorter if there are strong winds and strong rain. This is why many parts of the world have cherry blossom festivals because there’s a high demand to see them when they’re actually in full bloom.

Pear Trees

There are different types of pear trees—some that actually bear fruit and some that are solely ornamental. Both types do produce flowers and blossom in the springtime. Most pears that are sold in stores throughout the country come from California, Oregon, and Washington.

During the winter months, pear trees are dormant, and then swollen buds start to develop as winter comes to an end. These buds will then burst and green buds will open. The green buds will turn into white buds that will become the flowers on the trees. As the temperature gets warmer, the blossoming will begin. This typically happens right after the spring season begins but can take a month or two into the spring season as well, depending on the severity of the winter.

Strong winds and cold spring rains can hinder the blossom. The chilling time of pear trees, at a minimum, is between 200 and 800 hours.

Peach Trees

The chilling requirements for peach trees greatly vary based on the variety of the peach tree you’re growing and the weather conditions the tree is being grown in. In general, the chilling temperature tends to be 33–45 degrees Fahrenheit and ranging from 750 to 1,000 hours. If these chilling requirements aren’t met, the trees won’t bloom and they won’t bear peaches.

One thing that all the different varieties of peach trees have in common is that they bloom in the spring. However, they don’t ripen and produce fruit until the early summer through the early fall timeframe.

When it comes to fruit trees, there are a lot of things you need to take into account before planting them. You need to know a tree’s chilling requirements, you need to know when the fruit tree blossoms, and you need to know when the fruit ripens and needs to be picked. If you do want a fruit tree that begins to bloom in the spring months, apple trees, cherry trees, pear trees, and peach trees are a good choice for your Portland, Oregon, home. If you prefer a tree that blooms in the summer, these trees are the ones for you.

If you’re not sure which tree will work best for you and in your yard, Mr. Tree would be happy to help you. Please give us a call and we can send one of our arborists over to check out your yard and help you figure out which fruit trees to plant. Fruit trees do tend to grow better in pairs rather than just on their own, so we can help you choose that as well. Let us ensure you have the most beautiful fruit trees blossoming in your yard this spring.