WASHINGTON – The blossoms might not be blooming just yet, but the National Cherry Blossom Festival kicked-off this past Friday night. The three-week long festival will end on April 12, with peak bloom estimated to happen between April 11 – 14. The festival includes various events from a Blossom Kite Festival on March 28th to the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade and Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival on April 11.
In 1910, 2,000 cherry trees were planted around Washington, DC, a gift from Japan; however, these trees were riddled with disease and distoryed. Two years later, First Lady Helem Herron Taft, planted one of the first of more than 3,000 replacement tress sent over from Japan. There were 12 different varieties of trees in 1912. Today, two varieties are dominant — Yoshino and Kwanzan. Kwanzan trees are usually found in the East Potomac Park area and produce pink blossoms. The Yoshino, which produce white blossoms, are closer to the northern part of the Tidal Basin near the Washington Monument.
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