Around our area, the earliest blooming/leafing trees typically begin to leaf out around mid to late March, according to the USA National Phenology Network. Spring 2020; however, has brought early spring weather causing trees and shrubs to leaf out and bloom on average 24 days earlier than normal.
How Do Trees Know When To Bloom/Leaf Out?
Trees decide to leaf out and wake up from their dormant state based on a combination of signals including the weather becoming warmer, the days getting longer/increase in the amount of sunlight, the soil becoming warmer, and nutrients & water becoming more available. This combination of signals triggers an internal change that prompts the tree/shrub to grow new leaves and take advantage of the favorable growing conditions.
My Neighbor’s Trees Are Leafing Out But Mine Aren’t. Should I Worry?
No, there are a lot of aspects that go into the timing of trees blooming and leafing out. Your neighbor’s tree could be getting more sunlight which can cause it to bloom/sprout faster or could even be a tree species that blooms earlier in the season.
Early Blooming/Sprouting Tree Species:
- Birch
- Willow
- Cherry
- Eastern Redbud
- Alder
- Lilac
- Maple
- Buckeye
Late Blooming/Sprouting Tree Species:
- Oak
- Elm
- Hickory
- Walnut
- Ash
- Mulberry
- Sassafras
As long as your tree has buds and they are green on the inside, they are alive and will sprout/bloom when they are ready. If your tree doesn’t show any buds by the time spring is in full swing, it could be an indication of a problem.
In that case, give us a call at 703.573.3029 or book an appointment online and one of our Certified Arborists can evaluate your tree to see what the issue is.
