The annual blossoming of Washington D.C.’s cherry trees transforms the nation’s capital into a landscape of soft color, drawing millions of visitors each spring. This spectacular display is not the work of a single tree type, but a collection of various species and cultivars. Each type contributes its own distinct bloom time, color, and form to the springtime tableau. Understanding the different kinds of cherry trees present helps to appreciate the subtle complexities and timing of the famous event.
The Two Primary Species: Yoshino and Kwanzan
The majority of the city’s famed cherry blossoms belong to just two main species, the Yoshino and the Kwanzan, which dictate the rhythm of the blooming season. The Yoshino cherry, known scientifically as Prunus x yedoensis, is the most numerous type and generally flowers first, marking the beginning of the peak bloom period. Its blossoms are delicate, single-petaled flowers, typically possessing five petals, that emerge as a very pale pink before fading quickly to a nearly pure white. The Yoshino trees grow to a height of 30 to 40 feet and develop a gracefully broad-rounded or vase-shaped crown. They are highly valued for their early flowering, often before the leaves fully emerge, and carry a mild, pleasing almond fragrance.
Following the Yoshino’s display, usually by about two weeks, the Kwanzan cherry, formally Prunus serrulata ‘Kwanzan’, takes center stage with a dramatically different look. This cultivar produces large, showy, deep pink double flowers that hang in dense clusters. The blossoms are distinguished by their high petal count, often ranging from 20 to 50 petals per flower, giving them a carnation-like appearance. The Kwanzan tree is recognizable by its more upright, rigid, and distinctly vase-shaped growth habit. Because the Kwanzan blooms later and its deep pink color is more saturated than the pale Yoshino, it extends the vibrant period of the cherry blossom season.
Minor Varieties and Ornamental Types
While the Yoshino and Kwanzan varieties dominate the landscape, several other ornamental cherry types add subtle variations in color, form, and bloom time throughout the city.
Akebono and Double Blossoms
The Akebono cherry, a mutation of the Yoshino, features single flowers that are a slightly deeper, soft pink compared to the Yoshino’s white, and it blooms concurrently with its relative. The Fugenzo and Shirofugen cultivars, both from the Prunus serrulata species, are noted for their elaborate double blossoms. Fugenzo trees are characterized by large, rosy-pink double flowers that maintain their color and grow on a tree with a broad, flat crown. The Shirofugen is a later bloomer, producing double flowers that transition in color, opening as pure white and gradually aging to a distinctive deep pink before they fall.
Weeping Cherries
Scattered among the dominant species are various Weeping Cherry varieties, often from the Higan Cherry species (Prunus subhirtella). These trees are immediately identifiable by their gracefully pendulous branches that sweep toward the ground. Their flowers vary widely in color, ranging from dark pink to white, and they often bloom about a week before the main Yoshino display, serving as an early herald of the season.
Historical Context and Planting Locations
The existence of Washington D.C.’s cherry trees traces back to a significant diplomatic gesture from Japan, beginning in 1912. This gift of friendship was facilitated by several individuals, notably Mrs. Eliza Ruhamah Scidmore, who championed the idea for decades, and First Lady Helen Herron Taft. The Mayor of Tokyo, Yukio Ozaki, oversaw the shipment of 3,020 trees, comprising twelve different varieties.
The initial planting ceremony was performed by First Lady Taft and the Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese Ambassador, who planted the first two Yoshino saplings on the northern bank of the Tidal Basin on March 27, 1912. The concentration of species was deliberate and remains largely the same today. The vast majority of the Yoshino trees were planted to encircle the Tidal Basin and extend onto the grounds of the Washington Monument, creating the famous waterfront vista. The Kwanzan cherries, along with the other minor varieties, were strategically planted elsewhere to diversify the display and extend the blooming period. These later-blooming, deep pink cultivars are predominantly found in the East Potomac Park, away from the immediate Tidal Basin.