Washington, D.C
When will D.C. cherry blossoms bloom? Maps and chart show when and where to see them
Washington, D.C.’s iconic cherry blossoms are getting closer to the 2025 peak bloom. Thousands of trees with white and pink flowers circle the Tidal Basin and parks near some of the capital’s famous monuments and memorials.
Here’s what to know about when and where to see the cherry trees in bloom.
When will the cherry blossoms bloom in Washington, D.C., this year?
Peak bloom occurs when 70% of the blossoms of the Yoshino cherry trees, the most common type along the Tidal Basin, are open. The National Park Service, which tracks the blooming of the trees each year, predicts peak bloom will be between March 28 and 31 this year.
Based on over 100 years of data, the average peak bloom date is April 3, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The timing of peak bloom varies each year, largely due to temperatures, with warmer temperatures leading to earlier peak blooms.
Since 1921, when the National Park Service began recording the dates, peak blooms have shifted earlier by about eight days, the EPA says.
What is the status of cherry blossoms in D.C.?
As of March 20, the official first day of spring, 70% of the Yoshino cherry trees around the Tidal Basin reached the fourth stage in their blooming, which is peduncle elongation, according to the National Park Service. There is one more stage, puffy blossoms, before peak bloom.
A live camera provided by the Trust for the National Mall offers viewers a chance to check the status of some of the blossoms.
Where to see the D.C. cherry blossoms
The most famous place to see the cherry blossoms in the nation’s capital is around the Tidal Basin in West Potomac Park. Many cherry trees are also along a section of the Potomac River and Washington Channel in East Potomac Park.
This year, construction that began in August 2024 to replace seawalls along the Potomac River and part of the Tidal Basin could affect the viewing of some of the cherry trees. The work is expected to last through 2026.
However, there are many other cherry trees throughout Washington, D.C. Casey Trees, a nonprofit that plants and cares for trees in the city, provides a map of where to see the blossoms across Washington. The map does not include trees on private property, the organization said.
How long will the cherry blossoms last in D.C.?
The Yoshino cherry trees usually bloom for several days, the National Park Service said, but weather conditions will affect the length of time.
“Cool, calm weather can extend the length of the bloom, and a rainy, windy day can bring an abrupt end to the ephemeral blossoms,” the agency said on its website. “A late frost can prevent the trees from blooming at all.”
Why does D.C. have cherry blossoms?
Japan gifted more than 3,000 cherry trees to the United States in 1912 as a symbol of friendship.
That year, first lady Helen Herron Taft and the wife of the Japanese ambassador, Viscountess Chinda Iwa, planted two of the Yoshino cherry trees along the Tidal Basin, the National Park Service notes in a history of the trees. In the next few years, the trees continued to be planted around the basin and other areas.
But the idea to plant Japanese cherry trees in the U.S. capital was raised as early as 1885 by a woman named Eliza Ruhamah Scidmore, a writer and diplomat, according to the National Park Service.
Despite her first request to the U.S. Army Superintendent of the Office of Public Buildings and Grounds not going anywhere, she continued to ask and eventually wrote to Herron Taft, who helped bring the idea to life, the agency says.
LANDOVER, Md. – Bruno Mars is bringing The Romantic Tour to the Washington, D.C. region this spring!
The Grammy-winning star will stop at Northwest Stadium on Saturday, May 2, 2026.
The stadium’s website lets fans sign up for presale access now. Tickets go on sale Thursday, January 15 at 12 p.m.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 02: Bruno Mars performs onstage during the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 02, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
Bruno Mars – The Romantic Tour 2026 DatesApril – October 2026
Apr 10, 2026 – Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV
Apr 14, 2026 – State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ
Apr 18, 2026 – Globe Life Field, Arlington, TX
Apr 22, 2026 – NRG Stadium, Houston, TX
Apr 25, 2026 – Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field, Atlanta, GA
Apr 29, 2026 – Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
May 02, 2026 – Northwest Stadium, Landover, MD
May 06, 2026 – Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN
May 09, 2026 – Ford Field, Detroit, MI
May 13, 2026 – U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN
May 16, 2026 – Soldier Field Stadium, Chicago, IL
May 20, 2026 – Ohio Stadium, Columbus, OH
May 23, 2026 – Rogers Stadium, Toronto, ON
May 24, 2026 – Rogers Stadium, Toronto, ON
Jun 20, 2026 – Stade de France, Paris, FR
Jun 21, 2026 – Stade de France, Paris, FR
Jun 26, 2026 – Olympiastadion, Berlin, DE
Jul 04, 2026 – Johan Cruijff ArenA, Amsterdam, NL
Jul 05, 2026 – Johan Cruijff ArenA, Amsterdam, NL
Jul 10, 2026 – Riyadh Air Metropolitano, Madrid, ES
Jul 14, 2026 – Stadio San Siro, Milan, IT
Jul 18, 2026 – Wembley Stadium Connected by EE, London, UK
Jul 19, 2026 – Wembley Stadium Connected by EE, London, UK
Aug 21, 2026 – Metlife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
Aug 22, 2026 – Metlife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
Aug 29, 2026 – Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA
Sep 01, 2026 – Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA
Sep 05, 2026 – Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA
Sep 09, 2026 – Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN
Sep 12, 2026 – Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL
Sep 16, 2026 – Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA
Sep 19, 2026 – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, FL
Sep 23, 2026 – Alamodome, San Antonio, TX
Sep 26, 2026 – Falcon Stadium, United States Air Force Academy, CO
Oct 02, 2026 – SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
Oct 03, 2026 – SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
Oct 10, 2026 – Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA
Oct 14, 2026 – BC Place, Vancouver, BC
More information on the tour can be found online.
D.C.’s mayor and interim police chief took questions on immigration enforcement after an ICE agent shot and killed an unarmed woman in Minneapolis.
“If we don’t want ICE in our communities, we have to stop funding ICE – and that decision isn’t made here; it’s made at the Congress,” Mayor Muriel Bowser said.
The mayor was asked about her reaction to the killing.
“To me, it just is reflected, when you have people who are unaccustomed to urban policing trying to police in an urban environment. What it looked to me like – very bad, and I’m not a police officer, I’m not in law enforcement – but what I saw was completely avoidable, and a woman died,” she said.
“ICE is patrolling American cities. If we don’t want that, the Congress has to stop funding ICE, because thousands of agents who are untrained to police in urban environments are on our streets,” Bowser added.
In two recent incidents in D.C., federal agents opened fire on drivers who the agents claimed were trying to hit them with their vehicles. In those cases, no one was injured.
Interim Chief of Police Jeffery Carroll was asked about public concerns that might happen here again.
“A lot of these individuals, they don’t work in urban policing. So, us working with federal authorities in the policing operations, being out there, actually helps us make sure that we can work in those areas to help control what’s going on,” he said.
“Obviously, I can’t assure you of anything. Obviously, I can assure you every situation is different, right, that officers encounter out there,” he added. “But I think having the relationship and having the federal authorities working with the officers does help to mitigate some of the challenges that we have with that.”
Nadeau’s report on DC cooperation with immigration enforcement
Departing D.C. Councilmember Brianne Nadeau released a scathing report Thursday that’s critical of how MPD and the Bowser administration have cooperated with federal immigration enforcement.
“The primary finding is the loss of trust between the public and MPD,” she told News4. “The challenge that we’re finding is that the mayor and the chief’s interpretation of the Sanctuary Values Act has opened up a vulnerability whereby they are essentially cooperating with ICE in a manner that does not match with the intent of the law.”
Bowser declined to comment on the report.
Carroll said he has not decided whether to make any changes to MPD policies on cooperating with immigration enforcement.
Last month, Councilmember Brooke Pinto, who oversees public safety, sent a letter to the then-chief requesting detailed answers to several questions related to MPD’s cooperation with federal law enforcement. Carroll said Thursday that he will provide a response, which is due to the council by Friday.
In this 4 More Context, News4’s Ted Oberg explains how many people in the D.C. area have been arrested by ICE and why.
Sign up for our free deep-dive newsletter, The 4Front, to get standout News4 stories sent right to your inbox. Subscribe here.
WASHINGTON – A dry and mild Thursday is ahead for the Washington, D.C., region, with highs in the mid‑50s before a rainy start to the weekend.
What we know:
The morning begins on the chilly side with some patchy fog. FOX 5’s Taylor Grenda says conditions stay dry as temperatures climb into the afternoon, with clouds building by evening.
Rain showers may develop late Friday afternoon into the evening, with highs in the upper 50s.
What’s next:
Steadier rain moves in Saturday morning. Temperatures rise into the 60s, but on‑and‑off rain is expected through the afternoon and evening.
Sunday turns much drier, though highs fall back into the 50s. By Monday, colder air returns with highs in the 40s.
The Source: Information in this article comes from the FOX 5 Weather Team and the National Weather Service.
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