The annual spectacle of the cherry blossoms in Washington D.C. draws millions of visitors to the Tidal Basin, transforming the landscape into a cloud of pink and white. These flowering trees, a symbol of international friendship, prompt a common question once the petals fall: Do these famous trees produce fruit? While they belong to the Prunus genus, the varieties in the nation’s capital are cultivated for a very different purpose than food production.
The Primary Varieties in Washington D.C.
The city’s cherry tree population is comprised of two ornamental varieties: the Yoshino and the Kwanzan. The Yoshino cherry (Prunus x yedoensis) is the dominant species, accounting for the iconic white-pink, single-blossom canopy encircling the Tidal Basin. This hybrid was chosen for its delicate, fragrant flowers and its ability to create a broad, cloud-like visual effect during peak bloom.
The Kwanzan cherry (Prunus serrulata ‘Kwanzan’) is the second most common type, primarily located in East Potomac Park. These trees bloom later than the Yoshino and are identified by their upright, vase-like shape and dense clusters of deep-pink double blossoms. Both selections are classified as flowering cherries, bred to maximize aesthetic qualities rather than for fruit yield.
Fruit Production and Edibility
Despite their ornamental status, both the Yoshino and Kwanzan varieties produce fruit, which develops from the fertilized flowers. This fruit is a small, dark-colored drupe, similar to a plum or peach, that ripens to black or deep purple in the summer. These small cherries are vastly different from the large, fleshy, sugary varieties like Bing or Rainier grown for consumption.
The fruit of the Yoshino cherry is quite small, measuring less than half an inch in diameter, and contains a large pit relative to the scant amount of surrounding flesh. The small amount of pulp is notably tart and bitter, making it unpalatable for human taste. While the fruit flesh is safe, the leaves, stems, and seeds of many Prunus species contain cyanogenic glycosides.
These compounds release hydrogen cyanide when metabolized, which is why consuming the pits or any non-flesh part of the fruit is strongly discouraged. The tiny, dark cherries are primarily a food source for local bird populations, such as robins and cedar waxwings, which are unaffected by the bitter taste and small size. The resulting product is neither suitable nor desirable for human harvesting or consumption.
Historical Context and Selection
The presence of ornamental, rather than fruiting, cherry trees in Washington D.C. is a direct result of the original selection criteria established over a century ago. The initial gift of 3,020 trees from the Mayor of Tokyo, Yukio Ozaki, in 1912, was intended as a gesture of goodwill and a way to enhance the capital’s beauty. The choice of varieties like Yoshino and Kwanzan was fundamentally an artistic and landscaping decision.
Early proponents, such as explorer David Fairchild and journalist Eliza Scidmore, championed the trees for their visual impact. There was also a practical reason for avoiding fruit-producing varieties along the Tidal Basin and Potomac Park. A superintendent of public buildings and grounds voiced concern that fruiting trees would create a maintenance nightmare.
Edible cherry trees would result in messy, rotting fruit falling onto the walkways and attracting crowds trying to harvest them, potentially damaging the trees and the landscape. By selecting ornamental varieties that produce minimal, unpalatable fruit, the city ensured the trees would remain a clean, low-maintenance visual spectacle. This decision cemented the role of the D.C. cherries as flowering specimens, not fruit bearers.