Abnormal climate throws cherry blossoms into disarray too—cherry blossoms in Aowanda Mountain bloom ahead of schedule

▲ The cherry blossoms in Aowanda Mountain were originally expected to bloom in late January, but warmer weather may have caused some to bloom early. (Photo / Screenshot fromAowanda Information Station’s Facebook page, the same below)

Reported by the Tourism Center / Comprehensive report

Last winter (2015), affected by global warming and El Niño, various regions in the Northern Hemisphere broke multiple-year high-temperature records, and Taiwan was no exception, even hitting a record high of 30.5°C in winter—the highest in 67 years. Located in central Taiwan, Aowanda not only saw a disrupted maple leaf viewing season but also had its usually springtime pink stars, the cherry blossoms, begin blooming early. Alongside the delayed color-changing sweetgum trees, the cherry blossom area now presents a rare and colorful sight of red, yellow, orange, and green.

Aowanda management staff stated that the abnormal temperature changes have confused the biological cycle of the mountain cherry blossoms, which were originally supposed to bloom in late January. Uncertain whether it's still winter or already spring, they couldn’t help sprouting delicate pink buds, creating an attractive contrast with the orange-yellow hues of nearby metasequoia and sweetgum trees, drawing flocks of mountain birds to join in the scene.

▲ The mountain cherry blossoms and the delayed color-changing sweetgum trees bring a rarely seen mix of red, yellow, orange, and green to the cherry blossom area.

Aowanda management said that in previous years, the color-changing periods of the park’s red-leaf tree species, such as the green maple and sweetgum, were quite similar, typically both reaching full brilliance and then fading after mid-December in preparation for winter. This winter, the average temperatures were higher than usual, causing the red-leaf season to be delayed. The green maples began shedding leaves in mid-December, while the bald cypress, metasequoia, and sweetgum trees have only just slowly begun donning their yellow attire. After several cold fronts passed through, some leaves deepened in color to orange-red, but the cold spells didn’t last long before temperatures rose again.

The Nantou Forest District Office reminded visitors that due to unstable weather and large day-night temperature variations in mountainous areas, it is advisable to dress in layers, akin to an "onion" style, and to try visiting on non-holidays or leave earlier in the day to avoid crowds of people and traffic.

Aowanda
Address: No. 153, Da’an Rd., Ren’ai Township, Nantou County, Taiwan
Phone: 04-9297-4511
Related information:Aowanda Information Station