The planting of cherry trees in Washington DC originated in 1912 as a gift of friendship to the People of the United States from the People of Japan. In Japan, the flowering cherry tree or "Sakura" is an important flowering plant. The beauty of the cherry blossom is a symbol with rich meaning in Japanese culture. For many Japanese, the blooming of the cherry blossom trees symbolizes human life, briefness and nobleness. The Japanese love to celebrate and cherish the cherry blossoms during the limited flowering period. Many hold 'flower watching' parties known as hanami. Adding to their magic and mystique, sakura are usually only in full bloom for around one week. After the period of full bloom, the small, delicate flowers start to flutter gracefully from their trees. The blossoms are said to be the most beautiful in this final stage as the white and pink petals gently float to the ground.
Hanami literally means "flower viewing". Cherry blossom viewing is easy: simply enjoy the intensity of the many blossoms by looking at a single tree or a group of trees.
On average, DC's cherry blossoms bloom around the last week of March into the first week of April though it varies from year to year based on weather conditions. Snow, itself, doesn't have much effect on the bloom of the cherry blossoms. It's much more about temperatures.
The Cherry Blossom Festival: Sakura Celebration is a fascinating and informative book into one of the world's greatest festivals. From Tokyo to Washington, D.C. these exuberant festivals celebrate the glorius springtime blooming of the ancient cherry blossom tree and its role today as an instrument of diplomacy, landscape enhancement and eternal sign of spring and romance.
Over a million people visit Washington each year to admire the blossoming cherry trees and attend the National Cherry Blossom Festival heralding the arrival of Spring.
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