The region’s cherry trees are inching their way closer to peak bloom, and they’ve just reached a new stage on their way there. The blossoms have hit stage five, “puffy white,” and the National Park Service says it expects peak bloom to hit this week.
“This weekend’s warm weather pushed the Yoshino cherry trees to Stage Five – Puffy White,” NPS said in a Facebook post this morning. “The blossoms are coming out, now we’re just waiting on them to open. We expect Peak Bloom this week!”
Puffy white is the last stage before peak bloom, and it signifies the point when the blossoms on the trees begin to emerge.
Peak bloom, the final stage, is the point when 70% of the Yoshino cherry trees are open. Some individual trees may bloom before or after that point, so keep your eyes peeled.
If they do hit peak this week, that will put the blooms on the earlier side of NPS’ initial prediction of March 29 to April 1.
To celebrate cherry blossom season, check out events happening throughout the region, including the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival, which officially kicked off on March 20.
There are also plenty of places to view cherry trees around Northern Virginia and Maryland, where it may be less crowded than around the Tidal Basin or National Mall.
When visiting the cherry blossoms, remember not to remove blossoms or step on the roots, be gentle with branches, and always pack out trash.
Feature image courtesy National Park Service
