FACTS & figures
Under the
Cherry Blossom Tree
In 1912, Tokyo Mayor
1. Yukio Ozaki gave the city
of Washington, D.C. 3,000
cherry trees as a gift.

2. From 1913 to 1920, the trees
were planted around the
Tidal Basin.

5. 6.

Since its start, the festival
has expanded from one
week to five weeks.

There are now
approximately 3,750
cherry trees.

9. 10.

Peak bloom is when 70
percent of the blossoms
are open.

Cherry blossom trees
survive for about 50 years,
but D.C. still has around 100
of the original 3,000 trees.

The “festival” tradition
3. 4.

began in 1927 when a
group of students took part
in a re-enactment of the
1912 gifting.

The first-ever official
“National Cherry Blossom
Festival” didn’t take place
until 1935.

7. people make their way to
8. The full-bloom peak period
More than 1.5 million
D.C. for the festival.

can last up to 14 days.

11. 12.

Sources: dcinno.streetwise.co • www.townandcountrymag.com • washingtondctours.onboardtours.com
36 April 2016 washingtonFAMILY.com
Thousands of other trees
have been replaced or
grown from the original
trees’ genetic line.

The original trees are near
the Martin Luther King Jr.

Memorial.




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Washington FAMILY D.C.’s National Park has a
Magazine is not “Bloom Watch” that keeps
responsible for errors
track of and predicts the
or changes not CLEARLY
blooming of the cherry
marked or ads not
blossoms each year.

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One of the most desired
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14. 15.

16. cherry tree.”
Almost 100 percent of the
fruit grown on the trees are
sour cherries.

This year’s National Cherry
Blossom Festival Parade
will be held on April 26.

washingtonFAMILY.com April 2016 37