Cherry Blossom Watch Update: March 6, 2023

We’ve had a few more warmer days, and the cherry blossoms are coming along. There’s a wide spread of progress on the trees around the Tidal Basin.

Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.
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2023 Peak Bloom Predictions

  • National Park Service: March 22 - 25
  • Washington Post: March 19 - 23
  • NBC Storm Team 4: March 15 - 20

These are the current predictions, but it's not unusual for them to be revised as we get closer to peak bloom. You can always find the latest information on the 2023 cherry blossom peak bloom page.

We've had a few more warmer days, and the cherry blossoms are coming along. So far, March has started much warmer than normal. But we're about to head into a cooler stretch.

There's a wide spread of progress on the trees around the Tidal Basin. Many of the trees are still in the florets visible stage (stage 2 of 6), but there are also many that are racing well ahead of that into stages 3, 4, and even some close to the puffy white stage (which the stage right before they open and bloom). There's even a (very) small number of trees that have blossoms popping. I've tried to include a variety in the photos below.

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It suggests that we might be in store for a slower, drawn-out bloom, at least in the sense of some trees popping well before others.

Today will be relatively warm, which will help progress, but we have some cooler weather coming through at least the rest of the week. That will slow things down a bit.

This map shows what the National Weather Service is predicting for temperatures looking 8 to 14 days ahead. The blue is for temperatures below normal. It is outlooks like this that help explain why peak bloom isn't imminent just yet despite how far along many of the trees are already.

The cooler temperatures will also help prolong the saucer magnolias' bloom. They're now in full bloom, and I have posted a separate update on them this morning.

How it Looks This Morning

These were all taken this morning. I've included more close-ups than normal in order to show how the trees are at quite different stages at the moment. There are very few blooming, but it's possible to find some. Most of the trees are spread somewhere between the florets visible and peduncle elongation stages.

Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.
WASHINGTON, DC – Cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin on March 6, 2023. Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.
WASHINGTON, DC – Cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin on March 6, 2023. Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.
WASHINGTON, DC – Cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin on March 6, 2023. Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.
WASHINGTON, DC – Cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin on March 6, 2023. Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.
This is not the indicator tree. It's another tree that has some blossoms out. Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.
WASHINGTON, DC – Cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin on March 6, 2023. Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.
WASHINGTON, DC – Cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin on March 6, 2023. Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.
WASHINGTON, DC – Cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin on March 6, 2023. Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.
WASHINGTON, DC – Cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin on March 6, 2023. Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.
WASHINGTON, DC – Cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin on March 6, 2023. Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.
WASHINGTON, DC – Cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin on March 6, 2023. Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.
WASHINGTON, DC – Cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin on March 6, 2023. Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.
WASHINGTON, DC – Cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin on March 6, 2023. Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.
Indicator tree. Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.
WASHINGTON, DC – Cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin on March 6, 2023. Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.
WASHINGTON, DC – Cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin on March 6, 2023. Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.
WASHINGTON, DC – Cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin on March 6, 2023. Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.
WASHINGTON, DC – Cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin on March 6, 2023. Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.
WASHINGTON, DC – Cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin on March 6, 2023. Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.
WASHINGTON, DC – Cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin on March 6, 2023. Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.
WASHINGTON, DC – Cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin on March 6, 2023. Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.
WASHINGTON, DC – Cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin on March 6, 2023. Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.
One of the vinyl signs on the fence around the Jefferson Memorial where the renovations are underway. This sign is the one one right in front where tour groups (and school groups) use as a meeting point. The graffiti isn't white marker–it's scratching the banner's paint off. (I'm not including it here to make a point–just thought it was visually interesting.) Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.
WASHINGTON, DC – Cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin on March 6, 2023. Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.
This is not the indicator tree. It's another tree that has some blossoms out. Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.
WASHINGTON, DC – Cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin on March 6, 2023. Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.
This is not the indicator tree. It's another tree that has some blossoms out. Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.
WASHINGTON, DC – Cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin on March 6, 2023. Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com

Indicator Tree

The indicator tree is in full bloom. I have more information on the indicator tree and how to find it separately. This is how it's looking this morning.

Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.
Indicator tree. Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.
Indicator tree. Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.
Indicator tree. Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.
Indicator tree. Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.
Indicator tree. Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.
Indicator tree. Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com

Saucer Magnolias

The saucer magnolias are in full bloom and looking beautiful. Here's a few photos of them from this morning, but I've included many more in the separate saucer magnolias update.

Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.
WASHINGTON, DC — Saucer magnolias at the Enid A. Haupt Garden (behind the Smithsonian Castle). Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.
Saucer magnolias at the George Mason Memorial.
Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.
WASHINGTON, DC — Saucer magnolias at the Enid A. Haupt Garden (behind the Smithsonian Castle). Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Photo of Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.
WASHINGTON, DC — Saucer magnolias at the Enid A. Haupt Garden (behind the Smithsonian Castle). Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com

Things Worth Knowing

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