Okame cherry trees begin to bloom at National Harbor

Cherry blossoms are starting to spring out in the D.C. area – but you’ll have to wait a little longer to see the most famous ones on the National Mall.

The Okame cherry trees at National Harbor in Maryland have started to bloom, a spokesperson told News4 Tuesday.

Okame trees are early bloomers, and there are more than 200 of them along the 1.2-mile waterfront trail at National Harbor.

The Yoshino cherry trees at the Tidal Basin – which draw huge crowds of visitors every year – bloom later in the season. Storm Team4 predicts peak bloom will fall on the late side this year, between March 30 to April 5. Peak bloom is when 70% of the Yoshino blossoms are out, and it’s the best time to see the cherry blossom splendor.

The National Cherry Blossom Festival kicks off March 21, and National Harbor will host numerous celebrations and events, including origami classes and its Sakura Sunday festival.

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