The Boston Magnolia Watch Begins

If you know where to look you can see the first magnolia buds opening along Commonwealth Avenue.

Soon, the annual parade of pink and white blossoms will decorate the front yards of Back Bay homes.

This week the branches near the windows of the buildings have pink or white petals sneaking out of the fuzzy green buds.

The city is full of micro climates. These photos were both taken on the sunny side (outbound lanes) of the Avenue.  In addition, reflected sunlight from window panes and the heat escaping from buildings forces the parts of the trees farthest from the street to bloom first.

Here's a post from last year to show you how beautiful these blossoms will become in the next few weeks.

http://www.bostonzest.com/2008/04/a-magnolia-mome.html

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Comments

[Penny]

This is great/ I'm learning a lot more about micro-climates thanks to great readers and comments.

[infoferret]

The asymmetry has more to do with exposure - the side of the street that gets more light during the day - typically the south facing side - will have plants that bloom earlier.

I have a garden on the south side of my house, which is on a hill. My tomatoes are usually two weeks to four weeks ahead of my neighbors, even when we all plant from the same starter containers.

[Penny]

The other side of the street will be two to three weeks behind in the bloom - depending on the weather. I'll be attentive this year and see whether I can catch the first bud break on the inbound side.

The branches nearest to the windows are the very first to break. I thought it was radiant heat from the stone, but a neighbor suggested the reflected and escaping heat theory.

Our building had a thermal survey done, I was stunned at how much heat escapes from windows.

[MarkB]

I suspect it's mostly heat radiating out of the stone from the sunlight. If it was heat escaping from the building, the same thing would happen on the other side of the street.