Peak bloom will come to the cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin between April 2 and 5, 2021, the National Park Service announced Monday.
Big news! We're projecting cherry blossom peak bloom to fall between April 2 – April 5. Peak bloom is the day when 70% of the Yoshino #cherryblossoms are open, creating gorgeous clouds of white & pink flowers floating around the Tidal Basin: https://t.co/Yd0Z1y1FHD #WashingtonDC pic.twitter.com/Twikj5mOs4
— National Mall NPS (@NationalMallNPS) March 1, 2021
Chances are pretty good that if you experience the cherry blossoms this year, it will be virtually: “Working with our cherry blossom partners and in consultation with the most recent guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and local health guidelines, the National Park Service continues to evaluate what, if any, opportunities will be available to view the blossoms in person at the Tidal Basin,” Park Service spokesperson Mike Litterst tells Washingtonian in an email. “We expect to make an announcement in the coming weeks.” Last year the cops ended up blocking off the area when cherry blossom lovers couldn’t stay away, despite the region having just gone into lockdown as the seriousness of the then-novel coronavirus pandemic became clear.
The Park Service uses a “straight equation” to determine peak bloom, horticulturist Michael Stachowicz told Washingtonian in 2018: “You see how cold the temperatures are in the fall when the trees go dormant. Then as the temperatures start rising, the trees start to wake up and you start counting the heating-degree days, and you know how many it will take to get to full bloom.”
Andrew Beaujon joined Washingtonian in late 2014. He was previously with the Poynter Institute, TBD.com, and Washington City Paper. He lives in Del Ray.
