As springtime emerges in the Northern Hemisphere, the sun sets later, temperatures start to rise and Washingtonians prepare for the vast amount of people that will flood into the city to admire the lush pink flowers on the cherry blossom trees lining the Tidal Basin.
Further, DMV residents and visitors alike will tap into all the city-wide programming for the National Cherry Blossom Festival, which runs until April 13.
“From cherished traditions to exciting new experiences, this year’s celebration will unite our community and welcome visitors from around the world to create unforgettable memories,” said National Cherry Blossom Festival President and CEO Diana Mayhew at a February press conference.
Originating in 1912 when Tokyo City’s Mayor Yukio Ozaki gifted the District approximately 3,000 Yoshino cherry trees, the celebration symbolizes the friendship between the United States and Japan.
While a large concentration of the picturesque trees is located at the Tidal Basin, there are many planted across the city.
“From seeing the cherry blossom trees across all eight wards to participating in Petalpalooza, there are so many reasons to come together as a community all season long,” D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser wrote in a social media post on the first day of spring and the National Cherry Blossom Festival.
Mapping Cherry Trees and Their Lasting Impact
Casey Trees, a nonprofit that has worked toward restoring and protecting the District’s tree canopy since 2001, curates a cherry tree map, which includes data from the National Park Service (NPS), the District Department of Transportation’s Urban Forestry Division, and Casey Trees’ own tree plantings.
According to Vincent Drader, communications director at Casey Trees, the cherry blossoms account for 17,000 of the 2.1 million trees that form Washington’s total tree canopy.
“It’s not a huge percentage, but of course you can’t drive anywhere in D.C. without seeing the cherry blossoms, so it’s still not an insignificant portion of [the tree canopy],” Drader told The Informer. “People come here to see the trees, [so] I think the cherry blossoms kind of inspire this love of trees that might extend to any tree.”
Aside from the low percentage of these Japanese trees compared to others in the city, their smaller size also contributes to the low impact they have on the overall quality of the District’s canopy, as larger trees offer more shade and help cool the city.
The two most common cherry blossom varieties in the District are Yoshino and Kwanzan cherry trees, which measure between 30 and 50 feet at maturity, where the American Beech, one of the most common variations in the city, measure between 60 and 80 feet at maturity.
Despite this large difference, arborist Lou Meyer with Davey Tree shares the same sentiment as Drader, that the sakura-flower-adorned trees are still significant to arbor culture and diplomatic relations.
“I think their environmental impact is huge for symbolism in getting people to recognize that trees are not only beautiful, but they’re important, part of our green infrastructure and should be celebrated,” Meyer told The Informer. “We’ve got international relations not only in politics and business, but very literal connections environmentally with other countries… that we partner with.”
Pretty in Pink: The Cherry Blossoms Approach Peak Bloom
Each year as the festival approaches, the NPS uses the Davey Tree Nature Clock to predict when the trees will enter each bloom stage, and when peak bloom will occur. The clock mainly pulls data from weather stations at airports across the U.S. and is utilized by plant experts year-round to calculate peak bloom and pest emergence times for various plants.
The cherry blossoms undergo five stages before peak bloom: green buds in the first stage, visible florets in stage two, extending florets in stage three, elongated peduncled (or stalks) in the fourth stage and the emergency of puffy blossoms in stage five.
“We’re thrilled to announce that the cherry trees have reached stage five– Puffy White,” declared the NPS via X (formerly known as Twitter) on March 23. “The blossoms are starting to show, now we’re just waiting for them to open. Peak bloom is next!”
Peak bloom, when 70% of the tree is in blossom, is expected on March 28 and is projected to last between three and five days before the flowers begin falling off. The flowers’ abscission lasts approximately one to two weeks.
“March 28 is supposed to be peak bloom, but things can change between now and then,” Meyer said. “If you have three or four cold days in a row you might see peak bloom being pushed back to March 30.”
In 2024, the planet reached its hottest temperatures on record due to climate change.
That same year, the sakura flowers reached peak bloom on March 17– the earliest date for this stage in the cycle on record. According to the Environmental Defense Fund, a series of days above a certain temperature– depending on the tree varietal– causes earlier peak bloom times.
“The EPA and the NPS have been tracking the bloom times for the cherry blossoms, specifically the Yoshino cherry trees, for over 100 years now,” said Drader. “On average, we’re blooming about eight days earlier than when they started tracking that.”
According to Meyer, on very warm days, flowers are prompted to begin budding, but when immediately followed by colder temperatures, the buds are forced back inside as they can’t thrive in those temperatures. This back-and-forth process depletes trees’ energy, negatively affecting their overall health.
Higher temperatures weren’t the only climatic effect on the cherry blossoms in 2024. For instance, The Potomac Conservancy reported that over a century, the Potomac River’s water levels increased by about 11 inches. This greatly endangers the beloved trees in Potomac Park.
Last spring, roughly 150 trees were removed from the Tidal Basin, as increasing water levels were submerging roots.
“Because the waterway is overflowing its bank, it is flooding those root zones, which is hurting those cherries,” Meyer explained.
To help further protect the cherry blossoms during the springtime celebration, visitors should avoid walking on the trees’ root systems, refrain from picking flowers off branches, must not break any branches and should be mindful of dissuading children from grabbing onto and hanging from branches.
After a tree was damaged in 2020 the National Park Service took to X, then known as Twitter, to remind people of cherry blossom etiquette.
“Let’s not [forget] the First Rule of Peak Bloom – do not climb the trees!! The trunk of this Yoshino cherry broke under the weight [of] climbers today. It cannot be saved and will be removed tonight. #ProtectTheBlossoms,” NPS wrote.
Strengthening D.C.’s Tree Canopy for a Greener Future
The District’s overall tree canopy, which can hopefully help protect the city against climate change, is also negatively affected by it. Urban trees can help reduce the amount of kilowatts needed to cool the city, take carbon out of the air and absorb stormwater.
Because of these environmental benefits, the Department of Energy and Environment has set a goal to cover 40% of the city with a healthy tree canopy by 2032.
Drader believes that such a goal can only be reached if the city’s residents take the steps to get more native trees planted in areas of need. He urges people who are fond of cherry blossoms to plant trees like tulip poplars (his favorite tree), Northern Catalpas or Southern Magnolias. These trees have a higher environmental impact on the area and also grow beautiful flowers.
“As much as people notice trees for the one week that is peak bloom in cherry blossom, I’d love for people to notice trees all year round,” Drader said.