When will the cherry blossoms peak in Washington this spring?
The cherry trees have continued to grow in the nation's capital, inspiring the launch of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, which attracts more than 1.5 million visitors every year.
How Washington, DC got its famous cherry blossom trees
In 1912, Japan gifted 3,000 flowering cherry trees to Washington, DC. Today, the National Cherry Blossom Festival honors that gift of friendship.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The peak bloom dates for the iconic cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C. will be toward the end of March, the National Park Service announced on Thursday.
The NPS defines the peak bloom date as the day when 70% of the Yoshino Cherry trees, one of about a dozen varieties of cherry trees along the National Mall, have blossomed.
This year, this peak burst of baby pink blooms is expected to occur from March 28-31.
With the Washington Monument in the background, cherry trees bloom around the Tidal Basin.
(Doug Van Sant / National Cherry Blossom Festival / FOX Weather)
How the weather will affect the cherry blossoms
The peak bloom dates for 2025 are a few days earlier than the historical average peak bloom date of around April 3.
Although Washington, D.C. was hit with multiple snowstorms this winter – with one dropping over 7 inches of snow in one day in early January and another 5-7 inches in early February, temperatures since mid-January have been close to average, overall. A milder winter typically leads to earlier blooms, while multiple cold snaps can delay their appearance.
Graph showing dates of peak bloom of DC's cherry trees historically.
(Environmental Protection Agency / FOX Weather)
The next few weeks should bring mild temperatures to the nation's capital as spring and the cherry blossom season approach, which is good because cherry blossoms can sustain damage in any early spring cold snaps. The NPS reports that damage begins when temperatures drop below 27 degrees with significant damage possible once it chills below 24 degrees.
Cherry blossom buds at sunrise along the Tidal Basin on Feb. 25, 2025.
(@RiverGirl707 / X / FOX Weather)
Removing iconic cherry trees for Tidal Basin repairs
As cherry blossoms make their grand entrance this spring, for some of the cherry trees on the National Mall, this may be the last year when they will bloom.
The NPS is planning to remove at least 150 cherry trees as they make repairs around the nearby Tidal Basin, a popular spot for cherry blossom viewing.
Created in the 19th century, the Tidal Basin has begun to degrade in recent years due to several factors, such as over a foot of sea level rise and record crowds that visit the cherry trees that line its shores, the NPS said.
National Park Seeinrvice Director Chuck Sams and National Mall and Memorial Parks Superintendent Jeff Reinbold observe repairs along the Tidal Basin.
(NPS)
Altogether, those factors lead to water pouring over parts of the seawalls during normal high tides, and at times flooding areas where cherry trees grow.
"Despite various repairs over the decades, the seawalls are no longer structurally sound, posing a threat to visitor safety and the historic landscape, including the cherry trees around the Tidal Basin," the NPS said.
The history of cherry blossoms in Washington
The history of D.C.'s cherry trees dates back to the late 19th century, according to Ambassador John Malott, advisor to the National Cherry Blossom Festival and past president of the Japan America Society of Washington, D.C.
During this time, Malott said influential Washington power players such as U.S. Department of Agriculture official David Fairchild, National Geographic dispatch Eliza Scidmore and First Lady Helen Taft promoted the planting of Japanese cherry trees in the nation's capital.
HOW DC'S CHERRY BLOSSOMS ARE A LIVING VALENTINE FROM JAPAN
Sunrise kisses cherry blossoms, with the Jefferson Memorial in the background.
(Steve Piacente / National Cherry Blossom Festival / FOX Weather)
As interest in bringing cherry trees grew, Japanese biochemist Jokichi Takamine worked with the Japanese government to give 6,000 Yoshino cherry trees to the U.S., which were then divided between Washington and New York City.
The cherry trees have continued to grow in the nation's capital, inspiring the launch of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, which attracts more than 1.5 million visitors every year.