DC’s cherry blossoms enter ‘puffy white’ stage, approaching peak bloom

With the National Cherry Blossom Festival underway in D.C., the flowers have now entered the ‘puffy white’ stage, the last stage before peak bloom, the National Park Service said.

“The blossoms are starting to show. Now we’re just waiting on them to open,” the agency wrote on Twitter.



Peak bloom — the point when 70% of the Yoshino cherry blossom trees are open — comes as officials warn that cold temperatures and wind over the weekend could be devastating to the new flowers.

According to the National Park Service, peak bloom of the cherry blossoms happens in five stages: green bud, florets visible, extension of florets, peduncle elongation and puffy blossoms or puffy white. (Courtesy NPS)

The National Park Service said that they project peak bloom will be reached between March 22 and March 25. The cherry blossom festival will take place through April 16.

Follow the blooming of the cherry blossoms on the National Park Service website.

Tadiwos Abedje

Tadi Abedje is a freelance digital writer/editor for WTOP. He was born in Washington, D.C., and grew up in Northern Virginia. Journalism has been his No. 1 passion since he was a kid and he is blessed to be around people, telling their stories and sharing them with the world.

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