Ultimate Guide to Spring Blossom Season in Kelowna, British Columbia

Where are the best spots for Kelowna spring blossoms? We’ve got a great map to recreate your own DIY photo tour for you featuring Kelowna’s best spots for gorgeous blossoming fruit trees. As an avid seeker of blossoms and any sign of spring in the valley I have some great tips for you to capture the oh so photographable season in the Okanagan.

History of Fruit Trees in Kelowna & the Okanagan

The story of fruit trees in Kelowna and the Okanagan Valley dates back over 100 years and transformed the area into the fruit haven it is today. We learned about this history since we were little and it’s amazing how much the area evolved!Before European settlers arrived, the Syilx (Okanagan) people were already experienced in harvesting all the native berries and plants. However, commercial fruit production didn’t begin until the late 1800s.

Those early settlers were no slouches – they quickly recognized that the valley had a mild climate, fertile soil, and a long growing season ideal for fruit orchards.I must give credit to Lord and Lady Aberdeen who purchased the Coldstream Ranch near Vernon in the late 1800’s, kick starting the commercial fruit industry by planting apple and pear orchards.

The entire industry really took off with the construction of the Kettle Valley Railway in the early 1900’s allowing all the local farmers to ship fruit to just about anywhere. The apple, cherry, peach, pear, and apricot industry in particular took off in the 1920’s. The Okanagan became Canada’s “fruit basket” (how’s that for a terrible pun?).

Over the years, we have seen so many new techniques in farming and irrigation, some pretty amazing research and development by organizations like the Summerland Research and Development Centre that has improved the yield of certain fruits and how we protect them from certain diseases. All this has allowed us to have apples and cherries on the shelves for so long, and this new controlled-atmosphere storage they introduced in the middle of last century allowed for the export of our delicious fruits beyond our country.

The fruit orchards around Kelowna are not only generating money for the local economy, but have become a fruit tourist destination of sorts with people coming from all over to visit their U-pick orchards, take a tour of the farms, and taste the amazing ciders.For the past few years the Okanagan has been booming with many vineyards and wineries opening up, but the fruit orchards are what make the Okanagan so beautiful.

Each year, cherry exports to Asia are growing, and apples like Ambrosia and Spartan – both developed right here in BC – are becoming more and more popular around the world.The story of fruit trees in Kelowna is one of innovation, perseverance, and connection to the land that keeps the region at the forefront of Canadian agriculture.

When to visit for the ultimate Spring Blossom Photo Tour

The best time to visit Kelowna to capture the breathtaking spring blossoms of apple, cherry, peach, and pear trees is from mid-April to mid-May.

• Cherry blossoms are typically the first to bloom, usually around mid to late April. Their delicate pink and white flowers create a stunning contrast against the valley’s green hills and blue skies.
• Peach and pear blossoms follow shortly after, with most trees in full bloom by late April to early May. These trees produce soft pink (peach) and white (pear) flowers that add to the valley’s picturesque spring scenery.
• Apple blossoms are usually the last to bloom, with peak flowering occurring from early to mid-May. Their soft pink and white blossoms cover orchards throughout the region, especially in areas like East Kelowna and Lake Country.

For photographers and nature lovers, the golden hour light at sunrise or sunset beautifully enhances the pastel hues of the blossoms. If you want to explore multiple orchards, areas like Kelowna’s Lower Mission, West Kelowna, and Lake Country offer some of the most scenic spots for blossom viewing.

Since bloom times can vary depending on the winter and early spring weather, checking local orchard updates or visiting in late April for the most variety in blossoms is a great strategy.

East Kelowna Wine Tours – guided ways to get around

These tours will take you to the heart of wine and orchard country and best of all, they are just a short 15 minutes from downtown Kelowna. In East Kelowna, one of my personal favourite areas to explore spring blossom season in the city, you’ll find wineries neighbours with orchards which makes for a gorgeous backdrop. As the wineries open up in the spring with new wines you’ll also be able to take in the incredible spring blossom season! Here are our favourite local tours.

Kelowna’s Official Flower – Balsam Arrowleaf

Keep your eyes out for Kelowna’s official flower the honey yellow Balsam Arrowleaf. Fields, hillsides and ditches can be overrun with the gorgeous yellow springtime blooms. This image was taken along the Paul’s Tomb trail on Knox Mountain, a great hike with views of the Okanagan Lake that leads down to a pebble beach and a tomb erected by the Paul family in 1910.

Best Areas in Kelowna to See Fruit Blossoms (& eventually pick/buy fruit)

Upper Mission

Upper mission is my neighbourhood and I love the fact that I can walk to Kelowna’s blossoming cherry orchards and one of Canada’s most visited wineries. Cherries are mostly grown in the area with locales like Sun City Cherries, Lakeside Orchards and Mike & Lizzy’s U-Pick. All these locations now have fences around them to keep out the deer that love to munch on the berries. You can walk along the property of Sun City which leads you to 2 other farms that also host fruit trees including plum and pears. I like this area for a quick pic of the branches that outstretch to the road above the fences or at least near them. If you contact the orchards directly you could organize a walk through with a photographer.

East Kelowna

One of my favourite areas to go to capture the blooming Kelowna spring blossoms is East Kelowna. There are vineyards and orchards nestled side by side each other which makes for a gorgeous spring bike. Driving or biking from Tantalus Winery all the way to Camelot winery or Kitsch Winery offers prime Kelowna spring blossoms, many of which you can wander through. I do suggest saying a hello to your local farmer and asking for permission to step onto their property. Otherwise roadside photos are easy to come by with the amount of wineries and orchards in this area of Kelowna without any fences but again exercise caution and do not trespass.

Rutland

For some tourists, Rutland might be a four letter word but this area is undergoing a real revamp. One of the city’s most popular Greek restaurants, Olympia, is a highlight. Plus, fun and funky murals are turning this lesser desired area of the city into a photo stop for budding photographers or appreciate free art. 
For Kelowna spring blossoms check out two local farms including Arndt Orchards and Kempf Orchards (See map). You’ll find a wide range of fruit trees from cherries to peaches and the various colours of blossoms that occur.

West Kelowna

West Kelowna is not only one of the best areas to explore the Okanagan wine scene but it also offers some prime farm stand stops including Paynter’s Market. Once the Kelowna spring blossoms are complete you must return for u-pick fruit experiences to taste freshly picked fruit at a fraction of the cost.

Spring Blossom Google Map

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