National Park Service

Cherry Trees Sprout Puffy White Blossoms, Entering Last Stage Before Peak Bloom

The cherry blossoms have officially reached the second-to-last stage, when puffy white blooms are visible

The National Park Service announced Thursday that 70 percent of the Yoshino cherry trees have reached the puffy white stage.

It's the fifth and penultimate stage in the cherry blossom bloom cycle.

The Yoshino cherry trees mostly decorate the Tidal Basin and were the most common variety gifted to Washington by the Japanese government in its original 1912 shipment.

Plenty of other trees have already sprouted ahead of peak bloom. For instance, the Indicator Tree, which is historically about a week ahead of schedule compared to the other trees, has already reached peak bloom according to the NPS.

Saucer magnolias, those trees with larger pink petals that you might have mistaken for cherry blossoms from afar, have also begun to bloom.

Peak Bloom is officially scheduled for April 1. If you're in need of help planning your weekend visiting the blossoms, News4 has you covered.

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