Korea's spring blossoms blooming earlier as temperatures rise

Spring is coming early this year, and so are the flowers. With warmer weather expected to persist in the coming days, flowers are also expected to come earlier than usual — and some already have, by a month or more.

Citizens enjoy cherry blossoms at Maehon Citizen’s Forest in Seocho District, western Seoul, on April 7, 2025. [YONHAP]

Spring is coming early this year, and so are the flowers. With warmer weather expected to persist in the coming days, flowers are also expected to come earlier than usual — and some already have, by a month or more.

Forsythia are forecast to begin blooming on March 14 in Seogwipo, followed by March 17 to March 20 in southern cities including Gwangju, Yeosu, Tongyeong and Busan, weather forecast company Weatheri said Sunday. Daejeon and Cheongju are projected for March 22 and Seoul for March 25. The usual nationwide blooming window of March 16 to April 4 is expected to shift to March 14 to March 30 — an average of 3.9 days earlier. Jeonju is forecast for March 19 and Pohang for March 14, both about seven days ahead of average.

Azaleas are also expected to bloom early, beginning March 18 in Seogwipo; March 19 to March 23 in southern regions, including Busan, Gwangju and Daegu; and March 25 to March 28 in central regions, such as Cheongju, Suwon, Seoul and Incheon. The national average, typically March 19 to April 6, is projected to advance by 4.5 days. Incheon is forecast to bloom on March 25, about 10 days earlier than usual.

Experts attribute the earlier blooming to climate change. A joint study analyzing 100 years of data from about 70 weather stations found that for every 1 degree Celsius rise in average spring temperature, blooming dates advanced by 4.1 days on average. Compared to a century ago, forsythia bloom about 23 days earlier, cherry blossoms 21 days earlier and plum blossoms 53 days earlier.

Spring temperatures have trended higher. Ten of last year’s 12 months recorded above-average temperatures. March averaged 7.6 degrees Celsius, 1.5 degrees above normal, while March 2024 averaged 6.9 degrees Celsius, 0.8 degrees above normal.

At the Seogwipo observatory, plum blossoms opened on Jan. 17 — 27 days earlier than last year and 30 days earlier than average.

Plum blossoms in full bloom at the Seogwipo Weather Observatory in Jeju on Jan. 26. [SEOGWIPO WEATHER STATION FACEBOOK]

Adonis amurensis bloomed on Feb. 5 in Hongneung Arboretum, 13 days earlier than the average of Feb. 18. The average blooming date has shifted from Feb. 28 from 1985 to 1999 to Feb. 9 from 2000 to 2025, according to The Korea Forest Service.

Cherry blossoms blossomed on April 4 last year, four days early, and on March 31 in 2024, eight days early. This year’s Yeouido Cherry Blossom Festival is scheduled for April 8 to April 12.

The official bloom date in Seoul is declared when three or more flowers open on a designated branch at the Seoul Weather Station in Jongno, central Seoul.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY HEO JEONG-WON [lee.jiwon10@joongang.co.kr]