Cherry Blossoms To Arrive Late This Year

Due to the colder than usual winter weather and this week’s snow and subfreezing temperatures, NCR chief horticulturist Robert DeFeo has forecast that the much-heralded annual cherry blossom bloom will be from April 3rd to April 9th this year – dates that are later than usual.

Each year, DeFeo forecasts the best series of dates to see the cherry blossoms in bloom along the Tidal Basin and Hains Point and at the Washington Monument. These optimal dates are defined as those on which at least 70% of the blossoms are on display.

The press conference in which the announcement was made featured many National Park Service partners, including the National Cherry Blossom Festival, Inc., the Japan-American Society of Washington, the Japanese Embassy’s Ministry of Public Affairs, and the D.C. Economic Partnership Office. 

To the delight of these partners, DeFeo’s announcement means that the National Cherry Blossom Festival itself will include some days of the best viewing of the cherry blossoms.  There have been times in previous years when the range of blooming dates did not correspond with the festival.  The 16-day 2009 festival runs from March 28th to April 12th. 

Besides being a “harbinger of spring,” the National Cherry Blossom Festival is also one of the strongest and clearest examples of successful intergovernmental cooperation and partnership. The National Mall & Memorial Parks relies on hundreds of volunteers to help with the preparation and management of the event.