WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — Drum roll, please!
The world-famous cherry trees around D.C.’s Tidal Basin officially entered peak bloom for 2025 on Friday, March 28. That means cherry blossoms as far as the eye can see.
The National Park Service (NPS) explains on its website that the peak bloom date is when 70% of the Yoshino Cherry (Prunus x yedoensis) blossoms are open.
Watching and waiting for that day is an annual tradition in the DMV, and the date, itself, varies year to year. It shouldn’t be a surprise, but weather conditions play a huge role in when peak bloom comes. Generally, you’re looking at somewhere in the range of the last week of March to the first week of April.
As of 2025, the earliest peak bloom came on March 15, 1990. The latest date was April 18, 1958. In 2024, the peak bloom was on St. Patrick’s Day (March 17).
In all, there are six stages in the blossoms’ cycle:
- Green Buds
- Florets Visible
- Extension of Florets
- Peduncle Elongation
- Puffy White
- Peak Bloom
For the 2025 season, Stage One came on March 11.
Although the Youshino trees tend to bloom for several days, weather, again, is a factor. That’s why people often make a beeline to the Tidal Basin to ensure that once peak bloom hits, they can experience the cherry blossoms on their grandest scale.
