Cherry Blossom Watch Update / Kwanzan Edition: April 12, 2019

The Kwanzan cherry blossoms are coming into bloom. There are plenty around town that are in full bloom now. The ones in east Potomac Park aren’t quite there yet, but they’re close.

Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms taken by David Coleman.
Last Updated:

I MAY get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

The cherry blossoms reached peak bloom on March 17, 2024. That's the second-earliest on record.

RELATED:
Latest Updates on the 2024 Bloom
Peak Bloom Forecasts in Detail

The Kwanzan cherry blossoms are coming into bloom. There are plenty around town that are in full bloom now. The ones in east Potomac Park aren’t quite there yet, but they’re close. They’ll be looking beautiful over the weekend and next week. You can see some photos of how they were looking this morning below.

While there aren’t nearly as many Kwanzan cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin itself, there are large groves of them in East Potomac Park next to the golf course (the airport side). There are much smaller clusters of them around and near the Tidal Basin, particularly near the northern (Lincoln Memorial) end of the FDR Memorial. There are more scattered elsewhere. You can find more information about where to find Kwanzan cherry blossoms near the Tidal Basin and in East Potomac Park here. At this time of year you’ll also notice just how many there are around town–they’re all over the place.

The more famous cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin and nearby areas are essentially done now. It’s technically possible to find the occasional late straggler tree that’s still in bloom, but they’re few and far between (there’s one at the southern end of the FDR Memorial and another next to Independence Ave not far from the Japanese Lantern, for instance). The vast majority of the trees have lost their flowers and are in the process of leafing out.

The tulips are out in force now, too. Next to the Tidal Basin, the ones in the Floral Library are fully out and looking lovely.

So that’s a wrap for the 2019 season. It was a very pretty bloom this year which lasted quite a while. And we had none of the weather theatrics that have defined some other recent years. Thank you to everyone for tuning in, and see you again in 2020!

Kwanzan Cherry Blossoms in East Potomac Park

This is how they’re looking this morning. Not quite at full bloom but getting close.

Washington DC Kwanzan Cherry Blossoms - April 12, 2019

Washington DC Kwanzan Cherry Blossoms - April 12, 2019

Washington DC Kwanzan Cherry Blossoms - April 12, 2019

Washington DC Kwanzan Cherry Blossoms - April 12, 2019

Washington DC Kwanzan Cherry Blossoms - April 12, 2019

Washington DC Kwanzan Cherry Blossoms - April 12, 2019

Washington DC Kwanzan Cherry Blossoms - April 12, 2019

Washington DC Kwanzan Cherry Blossoms - April 12, 2019

Washington DC Kwanzan Cherry Blossoms - April 12, 2019