The Kwanzan cherry blossoms are coming into full bloom now and looking lovely.
While there aren’t as many Kwanzans as the more famous Yoshino cherry blossoms, their bloom is very pretty. Blossom for blossom they’re arguably even prettier than the Yoshinos, but most of them are set back from the water and aren’t easy to get in the same shot with the iconic monuments and Tidal Basin.
The Kwanzans have a dense, bright pink flower with thick foliage low to the ground that is especially good as a backdrop for portrait shots.
There are several large clusters of them near the Tidal Basin and around East Potomac Park towards Hains Point. I have a map on how to find some of the larger clusters on the main Kwanzan cherry blossom page.
Here’s how they’re looking this morning. These were all taken of the ones near the FDR Memorial and the larger clusters around East Potomac Park.
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Want to Help Support DC's Cherry Trees?
If you'd like to help support the care and upkeep of the cherry trees around the Tidal Basin, the Trust for The National Mall has launched an Endow a Cherry Tree Campaign. Donations go to the official Cherry Tree Endowment, which will give the National Park Service additional resources to fund the care, maintenance, and possible replacement of the cherry trees. You can find more information here.
The Trust is dedicated to marshaling private support for maintaining and improving the history National Mall area. I'm not affiliated with the Trust--just an admirer of their efforts.
Erin says
March 1, 2018 at 12:55 pmAll of your Kwanzan cherry blossom posts link to a “map” of where the Kwanazan trees are, but the link just shows a collection of old posts about the Kwanzan trees. Can you please post a link to exactly where this map is, so I can find these trees this year?
David says
March 1, 2018 at 1:01 pmThanks for the heads up. Glitch should be fixed now. You can find it on this page.
Suzy says
May 7, 2017 at 5:27 pmIam planning to make a trip nxt year what wld be
The best time for me to go.
David says
May 7, 2017 at 8:32 pmThe precise timing varies year to year, but this post should help in general.
Sneha says
April 23, 2017 at 8:19 amToday is 23april. Still is good time to see bloom.
KD says
April 17, 2017 at 6:26 pmHi! Im coming to washington this thursday. Will it be too late to see any flowers anymore?
David says
April 18, 2017 at 8:34 amThere are still some Kwanzans out, as well as tulips and other flowering trees.
Judy says
April 9, 2017 at 9:48 pmMy very favorite ornamental tree!! The photos are fabulous. Thank you.
David says
April 10, 2017 at 10:15 amYes, Kwanzans sure are pretty!
Samantha says
April 9, 2017 at 12:07 pmWill they last till next weekend?
David says
April 9, 2017 at 12:09 pmThere’s a good chance. They tend to be a bit more leisurely in their pace than the Yoshinos.
Elsie Service says
April 9, 2017 at 11:23 amWOW! Gorgeous Kwanzan miss you this time,.. see you next year.