Although we are gradually approaching the start of winter on the calendar, a cherry tree has blossomed in the town of Gradiste in eastern Croatia. These trees normally blossom in April and May, but this time the flowers appeared at the end of October.

Fruit trees can blossom if they are exposed to severe stress during the summer.

Stress factors can include high temperatures, drought with insufficient irrigation or even disease. Under such conditions, the tree conserves resources and goes into a dormant phase. When conditions improve, the plant “thinks” it is spring and begins to flower.

Folk belief

Autumn flowering of fruit trees has always existed, but in recent years it has become somewhat more common as a result of climate change.

Some folk beliefs say that this is a sign of a long and cold winter, but judging by the long-term forecasts, it is unlikely that we will experience such a scenario.