Where To See Cherry Blossoms In Brooklyn: Peak Bloom Guide

BROOKLYN, NY — Cherry blossoms have burst into bloom across Brooklyn, igniting spring's signature pink spectacle at Brooklyn Botanic Garden and local parks.

The Brooklyn Botanic Garden tracks its cherry blossoms with an interactive online map, charting each tree from pre-bloom to post-peak.

As of Tuesday, four of its dozens of cherry trees had reached first bloom.

The first blooms were spotted just a couple of days ago, the botanic garden announced on social media.

"The first blooms of BBG’s cherry blossom season are here! Prunus × incam ‘Okame’, three ever-blooming cultivars, and Prunus hirtipes in the Plant Family Collection are in glorious first bloom, as are many apricot trees around the grounds," the garden said.

The "Okame" cherry is usually first to bloom, followed by weeping varieties in the Japanese Garden, according to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Its buds emerge deep magenta, opening into light pink flowers.

Early blooms have also been spotted on the Upper West Side in Central Park, according to the Central Park Conservancy’s cherry tracker.

At the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, the blossoms are accompanied by a long-running spring celebration.

From April 21 through April 24, Hanami Nights will return, offering visitors the chance to stroll through the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden and along Cherry Walk, take part in Japanese crafts like origami, watch live performances and enjoy Japanese food and drinks.

For those who can’t make it to the park in the next two weeks, there’s still time — different varieties of cherry blossoms bloom at different points in the season, with Kanzan trees expected to hold off until late April.

In Brooklyn, cherry blossoms can also be spotted at McCarren Park between Williamsburg and Greenpoint, Maria Hernandez Park in Bushwick, Green-Wood Cemetery in Park Slope, and Prospect Park between Prospect Heights and Park Slope, according to the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation.