Mark your calendar so you don’t miss out on these stunning blooms.
The Beauty of Cherry Blossom Season
Cherry blossom season is a breathtaking symbol of spring, offering awe-inspiring displays across the United States for a limited time. These delicate flowers have long captured the hearts of people, drawing visitors to witness their fleeting beauty. Whether in Washington, D.C., or other parts of the country, the arrival of cherry blossoms signals the transition from winter to warmer days.
The peak bloom in Washington, D.C., is expected between March 29 and April 1, though weather conditions can shift the timing slightly. This year, after an extremely cold and snowy winter, signs of spring are finally emerging, including the upcoming cherry blossom bloom in the nation’s capital and across the country.
According to AccuWeather’s most recent forecast, peak bloom occurs when about 70 percent of the Yoshino cherry blossoms are open. The cherry trees also require a certain number of “chill hours” during winter to prepare for blooming. Prolonged deep freezes can delay the blooming process, while stretches of mild weather can accelerate it, according to the Cherry Blossom Watch. Once in bloom, the flowers typically last one to two weeks, depending on wind, rain, and temperature swings.
The National Park Service, the National Cherry Blossom Festival, and the Trust for the National Mall recently announced that peak bloom in D.C.—where the delicate flowers coat the Tidal Basin and the National Mall—is expected to happen between March 29 and April 1. However, the peak can occur earlier or later, depending on temperatures in late winter and early spring. In recent years, peak bloom has trended to occur on the earlier side. Peak bloom dates typically occur in late March or early April in D.C., according to the National Park Service.
Cherry Blossom Highlights Across the U.S.
In addition to Washington, D.C., these springtime displays can also be found in other areas across the country, including Chicago and New York City. Here’s when they’ll reach their peak in major U.S. regions:
Midwest
Across the Midwest, the flowers generally bloom from late March to early May. Southern areas like Missouri bloom in March to early April, while northern areas like Door County, Wisconsin, peak in mid-May. Peak bloom in Ohio usually happens from late March to mid-April. In Chicago, look for cherry blossoms along the Columbia Basin in Jackson Park, near the Garden of the Phoenix.
New York and New England
In New York City, cherry blossoms can be found in Central Park, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens, and Roosevelt Island. According to the Central Park Conservancy, blooms generally begin in late March and reach their peak in mid- or late-April, but due to factors like temperature, precipitation, and changing climate patterns, the exact timing can be hard to predict in advance.
In New England, cherry trees bloom some 20 days later than in D.C. (between the second and third weeks of April). For example, the annual Wooster Square Cherry Blossom Festival at Wooster Square Park in New Haven, Connecticut, is scheduled to take place on April 19 this year.
South
In southern states like Georgia, Tennessee, and Texas, the blooms reach their peak about a week and a half to two weeks earlier than the nation’s capital. In fact, Georgia’s Macon-Bibb County has the largest concentration of cherry trees of any county in the country and boasts nearly one hundred times more than the National Mall in Washington, D.C. This year, Macon’s International Cherry Blossom Festival is set to take place from March 20 to 29.
And according to the Dallas Arboretum, their Yoshino cherry blossoms are expected to bloom in just a few weeks from now.
West
The University of Washington is known for its stunning Yoshino cherry trees. According to the school, as of now, buds have appeared on the trees. They typically bloom from late March to early April.
In Portland, Oregon, you’ll find 100 trees at Tom McCall Waterfront Park and curated blossoms in the Portland Japanese Garden. The garden reports that the Yoshino cherries are starting to wake up, but that the staff is still a bit away from being able to determine when peak bloom will happen. There, peak bloom usually takes place between late March and the first week of April.
