Cherry blossoms – love em or hate em they are a staple of our city (and urban forest!) that are truly a magical sight during #PeakBloom. The famed cherry blossoms that line the Tidal Basin are cruising through their blooming stages and are on their way to beloved #PeakBloom, which is when 70% of the Yoshino Cherry (Prunus x yedoensis) blossoms are open.
The National Park Service announced last week that Peak Bloom is predicted to be April 2-5. Their prediction is based on winter temperatures, March forecasts, and the current status of the trees. Peak Bloom is the culmination of five stages for the cherry trees:
There are numerous ways the city is encouraging people to celebrate our famed blossoms and few options involve heading to the Tidal Basin since we are still in a pandemic. The National Park Service will also re-launch its popular Bloomcam. During last year’s peak bloom, the webcam was viewed more than 750,000 times by people in more than 160 countries.
Cherry blossom fans looking to celebrate in-person can seek out 25 new blossom-inspired art sculptures made by local artists, which will go up across the city’s eight wards. More than 170 restaurants across the Washington region will offer cherry blossom-themed food and drink specials, called “Cherry Picks.”
And always, we have plenty of resources to help you enjoy the beauty of those pink blossoms far away from the Tidal Basin. Our DC Cherry Blossom Map charts the location of flowering trees – including cherry blossoms – all around the city.
