Back in 1912 the Mayor of Tokyo gave the city of Washington, DC 3,000 cherry trees. The National Cherry Blossom Festival celebrates the legacy of that gift.
Living here, makes it easy to see the peak of the bloom. The peak is hard to predict. The peak bloom has happened as early as March 15th, and as late as April 15th. When depends on the weather, how cold the winter was, and when consistently warm weather arrives. A week of weather in the 70's and the bloom can go from bud to peak bloom. An extended cold wet period can delay the bloom by weeks. The peak bloom can last a few days, or a couple of weeks. Again it depends on the weather. Cool and dry, and the bloom lasts longer. A hard freeze, or snow, or sustained high winds and the bloom will drop, two or three days of hot weather (70's or even 80 f) and the leaves will break and push the bloom off.
The crowds are large, and slow stopping at random every few feet to ooo an ahh, and snap another photo. Don't be in a rush. It is uncrowded and very spectacular just after sunrise in the morning. Be prepared to walk a lot, the nearest subway station is Smithsonian at about 1/2 a mile away.
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| Known as "Stumpy" this is one of the original trees, a hollow stump of the original tree that still manages to put out a nice bloom. A section of seawall is sinking and collapsing and must be rebuilt, about 150 trees will be removed to make this possible, this is Stumpy's last bloom, it is in the section that will be removed after this weeks bloom. |
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| Entrance to the FDR Memorial |
Gorgeous! And to think our flowering trees here haven't even bloomed yet.
ReplyDeleteA couple of hundred miles makes a few weeks difference
DeleteGlorious! We went every year when I was a kid.
ReplyDeleteAnd you lived here for a season or two.
DeleteFarewell, Stumpy!
ReplyDeleteI am surprised there is not an effort to transplant the dear old thing.
DeleteI have been to DC ionce when the Cherry Blossoms bloomed and it was a spectacular sight.
ReplyDeleteI think Stumpy should be saved and given a place of honor!
The city is crawling with tourists and tour groups, spring break and school groups bring a lot of people to the city.
DeleteWhat a lovely gift from The Japs. It is a shame that thirty years later they would attack Pearl Harbor... and not with cherries!
ReplyDeleteThe Japanese thought we were going to support China in an invasion of Japan.
DeleteWe were in DC a few years ago to see the cherry blossoms. They are an impressive and beautiful sight. Also, Athens, Ohio has beautiful cherry blossoms lining the Hocking River. Back in 1979, Chubu University in Japan gifted them to Ohio University in honor of OU's 175th anniversary and the two universities' global partnership. (Two of my kids attended OU).
ReplyDeleteThe trees make for an extra pretty spring.
DeleteSuch beautiful photos! When Michael and I were taking the train back from NYC on the 18th of March, I looked out the window of the train and noticed that the cherry blossoms were blooming. I thought it odd that it was so soon!
ReplyDeleteIt was a mild winter and we have had a couple of warm spells, that is a fun train ride, the King Street Alexandria station is about 1.5 miles from where we live.
DeleteGosh, that is really beautiful to see! Thanks so much for sharing these fabulous photos!
ReplyDeleteThe next best thing to being here, and you avoided the crowd.
DeleteSpectacular! Thank you so much for getting these photos for us. What a gorgeous sight. I do feel a bit sad for poor stumpy.
ReplyDeleteThey have "stumpy" in a special enclosure this year, and lots of people are stopping to take photos.
DeleteI'm surprised by the whiteness. I thought cherry blossoms would be pink.
ReplyDeleteThey very in color, and fade in the sun
DeleteI hear tell these trees almost weren't planted.
ReplyDeleteI had not read that.
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