Cue That Pink and White Hue: Cherry Blossom Season is Here

For some, the No. 1 viewing experience of spring is Major League Baseball’s opening day. Others might tune in to the basketball action of March Madness. But for nature lovers, the best show in town is the countdown to peak cherry blossom bloom.

“Wow! This weekend's warm weather pushed the Yoshino cherry trees to Stage Five - Puffy White,” the US National Mall and Memorial Parks service posted to social media Monday. “The blossoms are coming out, now we're just waiting on them to open. We expect Peak Bloom this week!”   

“Puffy white” is one of the pink tree flower’s six growth stages. They begin with the first sighting of buds. Then they progress to “florets visible.” Next, it’s “extension of florets.” After that comes “peduncle elongation,” “puffy white,” and finally “peak bloom.”  

This year, budding on the iconic stands of cherry trees in Washington, DC, began on March 11. That kicked off the city’s yearly National Cherry Blossom Festival. It commemorates the partnership between Japan and the US. In 1912, Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo gifted 3,000 of his country’s famous cherry trees to the US capital, which has since planted hundreds more. The two-week festival features art, walking tours of the groves, blossom-catching competitions, and even a concert, aptly named “Petalpalooza.” 

The blossoms are expected to transition from puffy white to peak bloom from March 29 to April 1. They'll fill the air and carpet the ground with fluttering pink petals. Scientists say it continues a trend of earlier blooms spurred by climate change. The peak has moved up an average of eight days over the last century.  

Reflect: What is something in nature that you look forward to each year?

Gif of cherry blossoms from Giphy.