Come for the politics, stay for the blossoms

March 26, 2019 6:19 AM

Peak bloom is arriving soon in Washington, DC. The National Park Service predicts the historical cherry blossom trees along the Tidal Basin in Washington, DC will burst into beautiful peak bloom next week. Casey Trees, established in 2002, is committed to restoring, enhancing and protecting the tree canopy of the nation’s capital. They have published an updated ArcGIS map that shows, street by street, neighborhood by neighborhood, where to find the different varieties of the famous cherry trees. Local resident tip: go far from the madding crowd.

A bit of back history: in 1912, the people of Japan sent 3,020 cherry trees to the United States as a gift of friendship (link to Biodiversity Heritage Library article). Presidential First Lady Taft and the Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese Ambassador, planted the first two cherry trees on the northern bank of the Tidal Basin. These two original trees still stand today near the John Paul Jones statue at the south end of 17th Street SW. Workers planted the remainder of the trees around the Tidal Basin and East Potomac Park and Casey Trees helps maintain them.

posted by wicked_sassy (16 comments total)

I used that map a couple of years ago to learn that, of the two relatively recently planted maple trees in front of our house, one is a sugar maple. Kind of want to try tapping it...

My person DC cherry blossom viewing tip is to go to Hains Point (East Potomac Park) very early in the morning. Lots of cherry trees but less crowded than the Tidal Basin.
posted by exogenous at 6:45 AM on March 26, 2019 [6 favorites]

The last couplefew days of the WaPo's morning podcast has been sponsored by the Japanese Embassy just to remind us of the cherry trees. It's odd but nice.
posted by Etrigan at 6:49 AM on March 26, 2019 [3 favorites]

I'm looking forward to the Sakura Matsuri.
posted by HumanComplex at 6:50 AM on March 26, 2019 [2 favorites]

peak bloom

the inevitable result of the rampant excesses of Big Cherry Blossom
posted by otherchaz at 6:52 AM on March 26, 2019

Good to know - we are going to be in DC next week.
posted by domino at 6:57 AM on March 26, 2019 [1 favorite]

One of the greatest gifts ever and worth every bit of the crowds and fuss every spring. They’re a good reminder to take the long view—think of the changes in relations between Japan and the US during the time these trees have stood. Standing underneath them every year (even while being jostled by tourists), you can feel how beautiful and fleeting life is.
posted by sallybrown at 7:01 AM on March 26, 2019 [13 favorites]

The spectacle of the blossoms on the tidal basin are worth seeing, but if you just cannot deal with the crowds (or have mobility issues that make it more difficult to deal with said crowding/parking) there's two solutions.

The more painful on is to be up before dawn and see them then. Pro: it's even more lovely at sunup. Con: omfg early.

The more leisurely option is to go see the huge number of cherry blossom trees at The National Arboretum. The ones at the basin are gifts from the Japanese government and are of the Yoshino variant. The Arboretum has a huge variety of types, not to mention everything else there. There's self-guided tours and an app.

The Arboretum can also get exceptionally crowded and it's harder to access with public transport but it's a worthwhile destination in its own right.
posted by phearlez at 7:14 AM on March 26, 2019 [1 favorite]

So many people, from all over the *world*, come to see the cherry blossoms in DC, and they like to have their photos taken in front of the trees. When I'm walking around the Tidal Basin and I see a lone family member taking photos of the rest of their family, I offer to take the photo with their camera/phone so that the entire family can be in the picture.
posted by apartment dweller at 7:18 AM on March 26, 2019 [5 favorites]

My membership compells me to mention: if you are in the NYC area and can't make it to DC, or are looking for something at the END of April instead, there is always the Sakura Matsuri at Brooklyn's Botanic Garden. Not quite as many trees and a greater concentration of people, but you also have two day-long programs of Japanese cultural stuff; concerts, martial arts demos, classes, pop-up food stalls....

I actually like to do people-watching where the city's Go club sets up a few tables in a corner of the garden to do practice/intro matches with people. Invariably you have kids who show up like "oh, this looks easy, sure I'll try" and then quickly realize it's harder than it looks.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:37 AM on March 26, 2019 [1 favorite]

relatively recently planted maple trees in front of our house, one is a sugar maple. Kind of want to try tapping it...

Is it large or old enough yet? A quick Googling tells me (perhaps contradictorily) 40 years or at least 10 inches in diameter for a single tap.
posted by klausman at 7:39 AM on March 26, 2019

I've never been to D.C. during this season, but I'll tell you what, if you have a chance to go to Japan during cherry blossom season, do it. It's like the Grand Canyon: pictures or movies don't do it justice. You have to be there. Both the temples and the ubiquitous urban concrete environments are transformed by the pretty drifty breezy pink petals.
posted by kozad at 7:45 AM on March 26, 2019 [3 favorites]

Is it large or old enough yet? A quick Googling tells me (perhaps contradictorily) 40 years or at least 10 inches in diameter for a single tap.

Yeah, I was worried about harming the tree and also having the works out right along the public sidewalk is probably not something that would end well. Ah well, I'll just keep enjoying the summer shade and fall color from the tree.
posted by exogenous at 8:03 AM on March 26, 2019

in 1912, the people of Japan sent 3,020 cherry trees to the United States as a gift of friendship

Actually a gift specifically from Tokyo -- and this was the second try. The first batch of 2000 was destroyed due to insect infestation in 1910. But the story's a lot more complicated and fascinating -- see the detailed history and timeline at the NPS History of the Cherry Trees which includes this entry:

1982

Approximately eight hundred cuttings from the Tidal Basin Yoshino trees were collected by Japanese horticulturists to retain the genetic characteristics of the trees and replace trees destroyed in Japan when the course of a river was changed.

These trees really get around.
posted by Rash at 2:15 PM on March 26, 2019 [4 favorites]

Hmm that map is missing the few trees that around the Library of Congress
posted by numaner at 9:08 AM on March 27, 2019

Oh, I love the blossoming trees like cherry For a couple months, I've had the impulse to take a quick trip to D.C. (I've never been.) I'd mainly like to take in a couple of museums, and the big monuments. Maybe even a last-minute trip the next few weeks.

But can anyone recommend relatively inexpensive lodgings (in these nicer-weather months) a short transit ride from the area?
posted by NorthernLite at 11:00 AM on March 27, 2019

You'd have to go into the suburbs for inexpensive lodgings, but there's enough metro stops out there that you can park at for the whole day, most are $5.20 for the day, but Saturdays are free. This link is for reserved parking signup, but all the stations listed either have a big garage(s) or a big lot with plenty of parking. Then you can use that list to find lodging near one of those stations and simply drive to the station and take the metro in. It's the least headachy way to get into and go around DC.

I would recommend something in Maryland, at either end of the red line, or if you really want to save money, the eastern end of the blue/orange line.
posted by numaner at 3:13 PM on March 29, 2019 [1 favorite]