# Apple Blossoms **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 7, 2017, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apple-blossoms/786067 "2017-05-07T16:57:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dana\_Scully](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5daacb/32.png) [@Dana\_Scully](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dana_Scully)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2017, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apple-blossoms/786067/1 "2017-05-07T16:57:31Z")
On Friday night, a TREMENDOUS storm (thunder, lightning, hail, sleet, Old Testament wrath-of-God type storm) blew threw the Seattle area for about 12 hours. When it was over and I went out to check for any damage, I noticed something that didn’t click till just now. I have 2 apple trees: one is a Gala, about 4 years old, and the other is a Honeycrisp, still pretty young but they both had blossoms on them. What I just noticed is that all the blossoms got blown off. (They were blossoming late because we’ve just had the longest, coldest, and wettest winter in state history.) Will the trees be able to form new blossoms since the previous ones were so new and it seems that there could be plenty of time for new ones for grow into apples? Or am I out of luck? TIA ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2017, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apple-blossoms/786067/2 "2017-05-07T17:01:29Z")
Did the _petals_ blow off or did the whole _blossom_ blow off? There might be a chance of getting something if just the petals blew off. If it was the whole blossoms, it doesn’t look good at all. ---
**Author:** ![Dana\_Scully](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5daacb/32.png) [@Dana\_Scully](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dana_Scully)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2017, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apple-blossoms/786067/3 "2017-05-07T17:26:13Z")
Excellent point; I never thought of that. I go take a look later today. Anyone else have an opinion? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2017, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apple-blossoms/786067/4 "2017-05-07T17:56:33Z")
Not directly on point, but a couple days ago I read this: [In the Northeast, just one cold day can keep the apples away | NOAA Climate.gov](https://www.climate.gov/news-features/blogs/beyond-data/northeast-just-one-cold-day-can-keep-apples-away). Which talks about apple development vs. weather risks. In addition to the general info and pix, there may be some useful refs in the bibliography. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2017, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apple-blossoms/786067/5 "2017-05-08T17:43:48Z")
I would say your odds of getting apples is pretty low. I have ~20 apple trees and if a frost, high wind, etc. cause the petals or blossoms to drop we tend to get nothing. If the bees have been busy and some of the flower is intact, you might get lucky. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2017, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apple-blossoms/786067/6 "2017-05-08T17:49:15Z")
I haven’t gotten any fruit at all under similar circumstances. Sorry. ☹