NEWS RELEASE: Join Us to Learn How NPS Cares for Cherry Trees in All Four Seasons

JOIN US TO LEARN HOW NPS CARES FOR CHERRY TREES IN ALL FOUR SEASONS

PEAK BLOOM for Cherry Trees on the National Mall: Predicted MARCH 22–25

For Immediate Release
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9, 2022

Media Contacts:

Julie Moore 202-297-6106
jmoore@nationalmall.org

Mike Litterst 202-306-4166
mike_litterst@nps.gov

WHEN: Friday, March 11, 2022, 10:00–11:30 AM

WHERE: Paddle Boat Parking Lot on the Tidal Basin.

WHAT: Media can get photos and video of National Park Service arborist crews working on the grounds to showcase all that goes into caring for the Japanese flowering Cherry Trees year-round so they’re primed and ready for peak bloom and continue to bloom for generations to come. And catch CLOSE-UP shots of the developing flower buds. Crews will be pruning the trees so you can expect to see work with ladders, loppers and snippers with the Tidal Basin or the Washington Monument in the background.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR YOUR CREWS:

WHO:

  • Matthew Morrison, Arborist for National Mall and Memorial Parks 

  • Catherine Townsend, President and CEO of the Trust for the National Mall 

  • Mike Litterst, Chief of Communications and Spokesperson, National Mall and Memorial Parks 

WHY:

  • Maintenance of the Cherry Trees: Facing heavy foot traffic and the effects of the changing climate, rising sea level and daily flooding, the trees, now in their 110th year on the Tidal Basin, need care and attention now more than ever. Year-round maintenance (pruning, feeding and watering) is important to keep the trees and buds healthy and thriving for generations to come. 

  • What you’ll see this Cherry Tree Season: In addition to the Trust for the National Mall’s popular 24/7 LIVE  #BloomCam, a partnership with EarthCam and the National Park Service that follows the bloom on the Tidal Basin, the Trust also has #MonumentCam offering 24/7 views from atop the Washington Monument as the Cherry Trees bloom. In addition, the Trust has #BudCam, capturing and documenting the story of the life of the flowers -- from bud to blossom. This year’s National Cherry Blossom Festival  is back in person for 2022 including the popular kite festival and festival parade. 

  • Fundraising to support the Cherry Trees: The Trust for the National Mall raises funds that are needed for care of the cherry trees above and beyond what’s provided in the National Park Service budget. Supported by the National Cherry Blossom Festival, the Trust for the National Mall’s Adopt a Cherry Tree - Campaign (nationalmall.org) has a goal of raising $3.7 million ($1,000 for each of the 3,700 cherry trees) to help the National Park Service care for the trees and protect them for the next generation. 

CHERRY TREE FAST FACTS

  • There are 3,700 Cherry Trees on the National Mall 

  • Every year approximately 90 trees need replacing 

  • Facing increased foot traffic, advanced age and challenges of a changing climate and the rising sea level, the Cherry Trees need care and support now more than ever before.

  • The original Cherry Trees were planted in 1912, making this year the 110th anniversary of the cherry blossom on the National Mall, one of Washington’s most storied traditions. 

  • There are more than 36 million annual visits each year on the National Mall. 

March 15, 1990, marks the earliest peak bloom on record while April 18, 1958, is the latest peak. Last year, peak bloom occurred on March 28.

 
 
 
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