It won’t be long until Washington, DC, is once again awash in the pink blossoms we all know and love. According to the National Park Service’s prediction, the blossoms will reach peak bloom between March 28 to 31.
The announcement was made at the annual cherry blossom press conference, with the help of Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings, who presented the highly anticipated news in the form of a question.
Peak Bloom
Peak bloom is the point when 70 percent of the Yoshino cherry blossoms are open, and it varies every year based on the weather conditions. This phase can last several days, though things like rain or wind can cut the season short.
Park officials make their predictions based on historical data and weather conditions throughout the season. Still, it’s nearly impossible to accurately predict peak bloom more than 10 days in advance.
To track the progress, NPS uses a system of five stages to see how the blossoms are developing. It starts with the early “green bud” stage and progresses through the “puffy blossoms” stage that means the blooms are almost here.
Last year, the blossoms hit early. NPS announced the official 2024 peak bloom on March 17, the second earliest date on record. (The earliest was in 1990, when they peaked on March 15.)
Enjoying the Blossoms
The tradition of DC’s cherry trees began in 1912 with a gift of 3,020 trees from Japan. Today, NPS estimates that there are roughly 3,500 trees along the Tidal Basin, primarily Yoshino and Kwanzan varieties.
The National Cherry Blossom Festival will take over the city this spring for a week of fun events to celebrate the iconic blooms. This year, the festival is March 20 to April 13, with fun events like a parade, kite festival, and a sake festival.
This year, cherry blossom season will look a little different than in years past. Last year, the National Park Service began a three-year, $113 million rehabilitation project to repair the seawalls along the Tidal Basin, which required the removal of 158 cherry trees in May 2024 — including fan favorite Stumpy.
In all, about 300 trees will have to be removed throughout the project. But 455 trees (including 274 cherry trees) will be replanted when construction is complete.
As always, remember to treat the blossoms with care. Do not pick blossoms or climb the trees, and be careful to walk around the roots to avoid causing damage.
Feature image, stock.adobe.com
