The Washington, DC, region is gearing up for another stunning cherry blossom season. And it won’t be long before they will be in full bloom. The National Park Service predicts that the cherry blossom trees will hit peak bloom between March 29 and April 1.
Symbolizing the end of winter, at a Thursday news conference Kevin Greiss, superintendent of the National Mall and Memorial Parks, took a hammer to an ice sculpture to reveal the estimated dates.
Peak bloom is the point when 70% of the Yoshino cherry blossoms are open. It varies every year based on the weather conditions. They typically bloom for several days, though the weather will have an impact on the length of the bloom.
This prediction is slightly earlier than other area meteorologists’ forecasts for the blooms, which skewed later after a particularly frigid winter. The Capital Weather Gang estimates that the blooms will peak between April 3 and 7, and WUSA9 predicts they will peak around April 2.
Instead, this predicted peak bloom is only slightly later than recent years. In 2025, the peak hit on March 28.
NPS tracks the blooms through a series of six stages: green bud, florets visible, extension of florets, peduncle elongation, puffy white blossoms, and then finally peak bloom. They haven’t yet hit the first stage. Last year, they hit the green-bud stage on March 11.
History of Trees
DC’s iconic cherry blossom tradition dates back to 1912, when Japan gifted the city more than 3,000 cherry trees. “Each year, as we anticipate the blooming of our cherry blossom trees, we’re reminded of a
truly special gift of cherry blossom trees from the mayor of Tokyo more than 113 years ago. That
act of friendship continues to define this festival and relationship between Japan and Washington, DC,” said Secretary of DC Kimberly Bassett.
In keeping with that tradition, Japan gifted DC 250 new cherry trees this year in honor of the America 250 celebrations. Today, there are roughly 3,800 cherry trees planted around the Tidal Basin, NPS estimates, primarily the Yoshino and Kwanzan varieties.
The park service took on a renovation project in 2024 to repair damaged seawalls at the Tidal Basin. That project wrapped up in December — early and under budget — but that section will remain closed through the rest of the cherry blossom season. More than 300 trees had to be removed from the park as part of that rehabilitation project, but 426 trees will be planted in their place.
Celebrate the Blossoms
Of course, the return of the cherry blossoms also means it’s time for the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival. This year, the festival runs from March 20 to April 12, with a lineup of events like the Blossom Kite Festival, Petalpalooza, and the Cherry Blossom Festival Parade. Every year, the festival generates between $150 and $200 million in economic activity for the city, Bassett said.
And you don’t have to travel all the way into DC to see pretty blooms. Northern Virginia has plenty of places to see cherry blossoms, including Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, Long Bridge Park, and more.
NPS asks visitors to be cautious and help care for the cherry blossoms by not removing blossoms or stepping on the roots, being gentle with branches, and always packing out trash.
Feature image courtesy National Cherry Blossom Festival
