With spring ‘springing‘ in so many parts of the country, it can be hard not to feel a little envious here in Calgary. Sure, we get more sunny days than any other city in Canada, but we have to wait a little longer for those elusive spring flowers. While radiant cherry blossom trees are blooming all over Vancouver and soon coming to Toronto, you might be wondering if Calgary will be seeing any floral action.
The short answer is: soon! But it might not be what you expect.
Calgary’s Flowering Trees
Nothing says spring like walking serenely beneath a canopy of pink blooms. The Sakura cherry blossom trees of Japan, also prolific in Vancouver, probably come to mind. But we don’t have any of those in Calgary… do we?
We spoke to Colin Hayles from Golden Acre Home and Garden in Calgary and co-host of the Helpful Gardener’s podcast to find out more.
Does Calgary have cherry blossom trees?
It comes as no surprise that plants thrive in different climates. Sadly, as Hayles informs us, the stunning cherry blossom trees do not like Calgary’s weather.
“Most varieties of Japanese flowering cherries are climactic zone 5-8, Calgary is between 2B-4A in zones. There are some hardier cherry varieties that do grow here but they are not as renowned for their prolific blooms, they are more for edible cherries.”
It seems that Calgary is a tad too harsh for the famous Sakura trees. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have trees that bloom. In fact, we bet you’ve spotted these flowering showstoppers before.
The flowering crabapple tree
The flowering crabapple tree can be spotted all over Calgary in the springtime in a magnificent array of vibrant colours ranging from deep magenta to airy white blooms. At first glance, you might even think it’s a cherry blossom, but don’t be fooled.
According to Hayles, the main difference between the crabapple and cherry blossom is the hardiness of the trees. Many cultivars of crabapple can thrive in zone 3, like the Spring Snow and Thunderchild varieties. Some can even grow in zone 2, like the Dolgo and Gladiator (cool name, right?).
This makes crabapple trees perfect for Calgary’s climate, and they come in a stunning array of shades, too. Hayles tells us that while cherry blossom trees tend to be pink or white, crabapple blooms can range from white to shades of pink, red, and coral.
Thanks to the crabapple tree’s hardiness, they’ve naturalized in many parts of the world. You can find species of crabapples all through the Northern Hemisphere, North America, Europe and Asia.
Across Calgary, you’ll find all sorts of colours, shapes, and sizes. From narrow columnar types in neighbourhoods and backyards to the sprawling wide trees known as Thunderchild.
So the next logical question is: when will you see them bloom?
When will the crabapples bloom in Calgary?
The easy answer is spring. Of course, Calgarians know that’s hardly a straightforward answer.
“Typically, we are looking at mid to late spring (May to early June). We want to see temperatures consistently in double digits, 10-15 degrees, and then active growth. A lot of times the flowers emerge just after, or along with the leaves. The spring blooms make them a major food source for pollinators.” Hayles tells us.
Hayles also goes on to explain that crabapples have four key seasons. The springtime is when they show off their impressive blooms, but the foliage is also beautiful in the summer. In autumn, the leaves take on a deeper reddish hue before falling off for winter.
Crabapple trees are also pretty unbothered by city life. The trees seem indifferent to air or noise pollution and some varieties, like Emerald Spire, have disease-resistant foliage. All in all, they’re a pretty tough tree.
No wonder they’re so prolific in Calgary.
Where can you find them?
From public parks to your neighbour’s front lawn, flowering crabapple trees of every size and shape are all over the city.
The above map of Calgary shows you where all the crabapple trees can be found, and it’s interactive. Zoom in to find the closest one to you so you know where to go when the time comes.
We may not have cherry blossom trees in Calgary, but it goes to show that we bloom, too.
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Alicia Lyons
Branded Content Writer
Alicia is a storyteller who chased the sun all the way to Calgary and decided to stay. When she’s not crafting killer content, she can be found stumbling along nature trails, curling under a fuzzy blanket with a good book, or finding any excuse to eat.
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