(Photo by IC)

Cherry blossoms have emerged in Shanghai, much earlier than usual. It is mainly due to the recent warm and rainy weather, explained the city's garden experts. So, flower viewing is truly a good choice in the season of love.

Shanghai Botanical Garden has been planting cherry blossoms for at least 40 years. Yet, this year has seen the earliest blossom period for cherry blossoms, said an assistant horticultural engineer with the garden.

(Photo by IC)

The garden's phenological – the study of plant and animal life cycles - record shows that the cold cherry variety began to blossomon Jan 28, 2019, one week earlier than in 2017, which had seen the earliest blossoming over the previous 20 years.

The cold cherry generally blossoms earlier than the other cherry blossom varieties in Shanghai.

Most varieties of cherry blossoms have bloomed one or two weeks earlier than usual, with some even one month earlier, according to the experts from Shanghai Botanical Garden and Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden. So while this may be a puzzle for the botanists to study further, citizens need do no more than enjoy this unexpected Valentine's gift.