Graying snow piles. Layers upon layers of clothes. Never-ending cabin fever. This year’s winter tested even the hardiest of souls. But fear not: The promise of pink blossoms is upon us.
Cherry blossoms are on track to make their annual emergence in the next few weeks across the United States as their pink and white petals burst onto the scene. Spring, is that you?
Here’s what to know about this year’s blooms.
Where can I see cherry blossoms?
Over the next few weeks, throngs of visitors are expected to descend on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., where 3,800 ornamental cherry trees are getting ready to bloom around the Tidal Basin. As of Friday, the blossoms were still in Stage 3 — “the extension of florets” — but were expected to move into Stage 4 over the weekend, which is when a noticeable pink hue will begin to appear.
The trees are expected to reach peak bloom sometime between March 29 and April 1.
“It’s been a roller coaster here for the last couple weeks,” said Michael Litterst, a spokesman for the National Mall and Memorial Parks, noting that there was a more-than-50-degree temperature swing in 24 hours last week. But the buds were still tight at that point, he said, and survived the shifts in weather.
In New York City, a visit to the Cherry Esplanade at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden is a springtime favorite. The 230 cherry blossom trees — 50 species and cultivars, 31 of which are flowering — are expected to start blooming at the end of next week, said Shauna Moore, the garden’s director of horticulture. About 150 of the trees have a dedicated bloom tracker.
“I believe in spring, and I think it’s happening,” she said. “We always get that false start. It smells like spring, and I think we’re over the hump.”
While Washington and Brooklyn may be known for their cherry blossom displays, one of the largest collections of the trees in the United States is in Newark: Branch Brook Park is home to 5,300 cherry blossom trees. The park said on social media this week that it expected trees to reach peak bloom between April 9 and April 16.
In need of an immediate taste of spring? The Portland Japanese Garden in Oregon is peaking now, according to its cherry blossom tracker, as are the blooms in Macon, Ga., where the trees popped sooner than expected. Macon is home to 350,000 Yoshino cherry trees and calls itself a cherry blossom capital.
How long will the trees bloom?
Blooms typically last for seven to 10 days, but weather is everything for these delicate branches. Too hot or cold, the petals will be damaged. Wind and rain are also not their friends.
Last year, days of 80-degree temperatures cut bloom time short in Washington, but the year before that, a stretch of milder weather made for “really good blossom-viewing,” Mr. Litterst said. The National Mall has a meteorologist for the National Weather Service on standby to monitor any inclement weather and help predict bloom stages as the trees get closer to peaking.
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden will have blooms spread over six weeks because of the varying species, with daffodils and magnolias to follow closely behind.
“Once it’s on, everything starts to warm up,” Ms. Moore said. “It all happens so quickly.”
How do I avoid crowds?
There are a couple of options when it comes to avoiding crowds: Take a deep breath and embrace the throngs, or visit during off hours.
Even sunrise can be crowded, with photographers trying to capture the perfect image, Mr. Listterst said. He suggested visiting around 10 a.m. or 2 p.m. during a weekday. Ms. Moore also said coming on a weekday afternoon could allow you to secure your own bench under the trees in Brooklyn.
But for many cherry blossom fans, the communal adoration of this fleeting sign of spring is part of their charm.
Remy Tumin is a reporter for The Times covering breaking news and other topics.
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