The peak bloom of the Yoshino cherry trees in Washington, D.C. is a beautiful sight every spring.
The peak bloom date is defined as the day when 70% of the Yoshino cherry blossoms are open. The peak bloom varies annually, depending on weather conditions. The most likely time to see the most blooms is from the last week of March to the first week of April.
The National Park Service announced in late February that the peak bloom season for the District of Columbia Tidal Basin cherry blossoms is expected to fall from March 28 to March 31 this year.
It is nearly impossible to predict the peak bloom of cherry trees more than 10 days in advance because weather conditions affect the development of the blossoms. National Park Service horticulturists closely monitor the progress of the buds and provide updates.
How long is the peak bloom?
Yoshino trees typically bloom for several days. The duration of the Cherry blossom depends on weather conditions. Cool, calm weather can extend the length of the bloom, and a rainy, windy day can bring an abrupt end to the fleeting bloom. A late frost can prevent the trees from blooming at all.
When have cherry blossoms historically peaked?
Unusually warm or cool temperatures have caused the blooms to peak as early as March 15 in 1990 and as late as April 18 in 1958.
Last year, peak bloom was the first time the National Cherry Blossom Festival began on March 20, since the festival’s start date was moved forward by about a week in 2012.
Historically,
the Cherry Blossom Festival has often started in mid-April. Over time, the festival’s length has been extended and the start date has moved forward. The festival has not started in April since 1994.
When is the 2025 National Cherry Blossom Festival?
The Park Service, in collaboration with the National Cherry Blossom Festival, will celebrate the blossoms in the district from March 20 to April 14. The festival is held primarily around the Tidal Basin.
The festival commemorates the gift of nearly 3,000 cherry trees to the United States from the mayor of Tokyo in 1912. The gift celebrates the friendship between the Japanese and American people.
Live Bloom Camera
If you can’t travel to see the cherry blossoms, you can watch them live on the Bloom Camera. The camera provides a live view of the National Mall Tidal Basin from the rooftop of the Hotel Salamander in Washington, D.C., courtesy of Earth Cam.
The average peak bloom for the trees in the United States — or when 70% of the flowers are open — is April 3, based on the trees’ history.
But, over the past 25 years, the blossoms have reached peak bloom 19 times earlier than that average, and they’re on track to do the same this year.
The National Park Service estimates that this year’s peak bloom will occur March 28-31. National Mall and Memorial Parks Chief of Communications Mike Litterst said he is keeping March 28 as the correct date.
Peak bloom times are estimated by looking at daily high temperatures, Cherry blossom measuring historical records and examining “indicator trees” that typically bloom earlier than the rest.
This year’s bloom isn’t as big as last year’s March 17 peak, but it’s still earlier than the historic peak bloom time. Behind the March 15 bloom in 1990, last year’s blooms are tied for the second-earliest peak bloom on record.
While the unexpected early blooms may be a disappointment to the travel plans of the roughly 1.6 million tourists who come to D.C. to see the trees, they don’t pose a risk to the trees’ health — yet.
If global warming trends and earlier blooms continue, the flowers could emerge before bees and other pollinators arrive.
“If there are no pollinators, there is no one to carry the pollen, and that’s when you have concerns about the death of the plant,” said Litterst.
This, however, Litterst said, is not an immediate risk.
