DC has some big cherry blossom news. In honor of America 250, the National Park Service is planting new 250 cherry tree saplings along the Tidal Basin. Japan — which gifted the nation’s first cherry trees back in 1912 — donated the saplings to honor the country’s 250th birthday, according to Axios.
These new trees will help replace those removed in 2024 when construction began on the Tidal Basin seawall rehabilitation project. They will be planted in the coming months.
NPS is closing off the project areas along the Tidal Basin and West Potomac Park during this year’s National Cherry Blossom Festival — planned for March 20 to April 12 — to help protect the young trees. However, the areas are expected to open shortly after the end of the festival.
The first phase of the Potomac River seawall project is set to be completed in May 2026.
When Will Peak Bloom Hit?
If you’re looking to visit the cherry blossoms, you might want to plan for a later date than in the past. No official peak bloom projections have been released. But some experts are saying recent record-breaking cold temperatures may delay bloom times.
National Park Service spokesperson Mike Litterst told Axios that, “Heat drives the trees to bloom, so when you have colder temperatures, it takes longer for the blossoms to arrive.”
Over the last three years, peak bloom has been recorded on March 28 (2025), March 17 (2024), and March 23 (2023).
Feature image courtesy National Park Service
