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Cherry Blossom Countdown
With Robert DeFeo
Chief Horticulturalist, National Park Service
Wednesday, March 21, 2001; 11 a.m. EST
The cherry blossoms signal the coming of spring and Robert DeFeo, the chief prognosticator of when they'll be out, how long they'll last, the peak time -- all the FAQs -- will be online Wednesday, March 21, at 11 a.m. EST, to take questions and comments. He's the one in charge of the management of the trees, shrubs and flowers in the landscape of the national capital region and has been fairly accurate in his forecasts over the past several years.
The famous trees were a gift from Japan in 1912 and surround the Jefferson Memorial on the Tidal Basin. More than 3,700 cherry trees of several varieties grow around the Tidal Basin and on the grounds of the Washington Monument.
Join Robert DeFeo to talk not only about the cherry blossoms, but also about how the beauty of nature is maintained throughout the grounds of the nation's capital.
Below is a transcript.
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Arlington:
Will all this cold and rainy weather will the blossoms bloom later? What is your best guess-timate of peak bloom time?
Thanks!!
Robert DeFeo: Actually this weather is favoring my forecast of March 31--April 5. In that period we're forecasting we'll reach peak bloom which is when 70% of the flowers are open. The cold weather is good for that forecast in that things are creeping along toward that date. At this point, even though this is one of the coldest winters on record, what occurred prior to now has no bearing whatsoever on when the cherries will bloom. Only the weather from here on will have an effect.
Fairfax, Va.:
The cherry blossom time is my favorite thing about this area of the country. In the five years we have been living here we have made it an annual tradition to get up about 5:00 a.m. on a Sat. or Sun. morning during the peak of the blossoming season to arrive at the basin at sunrise and walk several laps around the entire basin watching as the day wakes up and more an more people arrive. It is the best at that hour of the day. Question have you spotted any more beavers?
Robert DeFeo: First of all, I thoroughly concur with your time to view the blossoms. The morning is the most peaceful and tranquil time at the Tidal Basin and I would recommend to others that don't mind getting up too early that that is the best time to view the blossoms and avoid the crowds. And there will be crowds.
There currently are no active beavers anywhere around the Tidal Basin that I am aware of. They are active on Columbia Island on the other side of the river, but they are not impacting the cherries.
Near Lincoln Memorial:
Hello Mr. DeFeo! I have heard that people tried to chop some down during World War II with their anger against Japan. Are there any other famous or not-so-famous anecdotes that you could share with us? Also, are any of the current trees part of the original gift or have they been grown from the seeds of the originals? Thank you for sharing with us today.
Robert DeFeo: Two trees were cut down and it was suspected in retaliation for the attack on Pearl Harbor. During that time the cherries were referred to as the "oriental cherries." But other than those two trees, no other trees were damaged.
Another significant event was back in the 30s during construction of the Jefferson Memorial. Several women chained themselves to the trees to try to stop construction of the Memorial in protest of them being cut down for the construction of the Jefferson Memorial.
And of course, the beavers of two years ago.
Approximately 125 trees from the original gift of 3,020 still remain. The National Park Service is vegetatively propagating new trees from the 125 original trees remaining. Resulting trees will be planted within the next two to three years.
Robert DeFeo: Another interesting anecdote that many don't realize is that the 1912 shipment of cherries was the second shipment of cherries sent. A shipment was sent in 1910 but to everyone's dismay, an inspection team from the Department of Agriculture found the trees were infested with insects and nematodes and under the order of President Taft, the trees were ordered destroyed and burned. But the Japanese met the distressing news by providing new trees with much more strict quarantine growing requirements and they were the 1912 shipment.
Vienna, Va.:
Do you fertilize the trees in order to stimulate the blossoming process or enhance the size and staying power of the blossoms? Or is this an entirely natural "organic" process that we witness each Spring? If you do use fertilizers with the trees, what product(s) do you use?
Dave
Robert DeFeo: The answer with regard to fertilization, the National Park Service only fertilizes the cherry trees to correct nutrient deficiency. We do not routinely fertilize the cherries and seldom do we have nutrient deficiencies. The flowering is a biological process that occurs each year and over fertilization can actually reduce flowering in that high levels of nitrogen can induce vegetative vs. reproductive (flower) bud development.
However, when we do fertilize, we fertilize with a liquid fertilizer specifically designed for trees that has a high percentage of its nitrogen as water insoluble nitrogen that is available over a 12 to 18 month period. The fertilization is conducted with a deep root feeder that is injected into the soil under a pressure of 200 pounds per square inch. But I'd like emphasize again that whereas fertilization is a standard practice within the nursery industry to promote growth, it is always necessary to fertilize trees in the landscape to maintain healthy productive growth. Consequently, the NPS (National Park Service) only fertilizes to correct the nutrient deficiency which is determined by soil and foliar leaf analysis.
Alexandria, Va.:
My street in Del Ray (Alexandria) E. Clifford Ave., is lined with Cherry Blossom Trees. My neighbors who have lived there for 50 years, tell a story about how they had to lobby to have the trees planted there and that they are connected to the "official" trees on the mall. Do you have anything to add to this claim?
Thanks
Dave
Robert DeFeo: I really cannot add anything and I have no knowledge the plantings that you refer to have any connection to the ones at the Tidal Basin; however, Mrs. Skidmore (responsible for proposing that cherry trees be planted along the soon-to-be reclaimed Potomac waterfront) and Dr. David Fairchild (plant explorer with the U.S. Department of Agriculture) encouraged the planting of cherry trees along the avenues in the Washington area as early as 1907 and many people planted cherries in the area before Mrs. Taft concurred with Mrs. Skidmore to plant the trees around the Tidal Basin in East Potomac Park. Mrs. Skidmore, prior to the planting of cherries around the Tidal Basin, spent over 24 years approaching every superintendent with her proposal. And Mrs. Taft agreed in 1909 and thus the attempts to ship and plant the cherries began.
Vienna, Va.:
I will not be in the area during the predicted peak blossom time, how soon will there be enough blossoms open to merit "the walk?"
Robert DeFeo: The peak bloom is for the Yoshino cherry which is the predominant cherry that surrounds the Tidal Basin. However, there are other cherries in East and West Potomac Park. The weeping or Higan cherry blooms one week before the Yoshino cherries and the blossoms on those trees may start opening as early as this weekend. And the Kwanzan cherry blooms ten to fourteen days after the Yoshino cherry. So if you miss the peak period on the early side, you should be able to witness the weeping or Higan cherries along with other early blooming trees such as the star and saucer magnolias, forsythia, etc. If you miss the peak on the late side you'll be able to witness the Kwanzan cherry along with other trees that bloom during that period such as the crab apples.
And the progression of bloom is part of the overall design intent for many parks in our nation's capital, the intent being a diversity of different trees with a progression of blooms over a long period of time.
dc:
My question is about people and kids picking blossoms. I guess I've heard somewhere that this is "illegal" because it harms the trees. Is this true?
Robert DeFeo: Yes it is true. It is illegal to pick the blossoms and I would like to take this opportunity to emphasize that not only is it illegal, it is very damaging to the trees. Cherries bloom on older wood and removal of the blossoms removes wood that would produce blossoms in future years. And during the bloom period there are Park Rangers enforcing the law that prohibits the picking of blossoms and there are interpretive signs informing people not to pick the blossoms.
Washington, DC:
Mr. DeFeo,
Thank you for taking care of a national treasure!
You said the NPS is propagating new trees, were will they be planted?
Robert DeFeo: First of all, let me state clearly that I do not take care of the trees. This responsibility is entrusted to the tree crew of National Capital Parks Central. These are the most responsible and dedicated arborists I have ever known and it is their sense of dedication and professionalism that allows the trees to thrive in East Potomac Park.
With regard to the propagation from the original trees, these will be planted over the next two to three years and will replace trees that will die as a result of old age and general decline.
Bethesda, MD:
Mr. DeFeo, Thanks for being here today. How much do the trees grow every year, and how long is each tree expected to live? Do you have to do much pruning?
Robert DeFeo: The average life expectancy of a cherry tree, particularly a tree in an urban environment, is generally less than fifty years. The reason why many of the trees in the Tidal Basin have survived beyong fifty years is because of pruning. Pruning is the single most important and labor intensive task that the Park Service performs that contributes to the overall health and longevity of the trees.
The National Park Service routinely prunes the cherries two times each year. The first pruning occurs between January and March during the dormant period prior to the bloom and then a second summer pruning is performed to remove suckers and declining branches.
With regard to your question on annual growth, that is dependent on many variables, most of which are soil related. During years of abundant rainfall, the trees can grow two to three times greater in terms of length of new growth than during periods of drought. It is totally dependent upon the weather being favorable for tree growth. I'd also like to add that the National Park Service does not routinely irrigate the trees. Irrigation is only performed during extended periods of drought when soil/moisture levels drop to a point that it could endanger the health of the trees.
Robert DeFeo: In conclusion, we should start seeing some of the early cherries starting to open maybe as early as this coming weekend with the peak bloom of the Yoshino cherries starting to open the following weekend around the 31st of March. Each individual blossom can last anywhere from 4 to 10 days depending on the weather and not all blossoms on a tree are in the same stage at any one time. Thus, if the weather is cooperative and we don't experience any high winds or heavy rains, the blooming period can last as long as 10--14 days.
May I also ask that people not only avoid picking the blossoms but also climbing the cherry trees. The cherry tree is a soft-barked tree and climbing does damage the bark.
Updates on information and daily updates on the progression of flower bud development and the blooming period can be found on the National Park Service Web site which is www.nps.gov/nacc/cherry.
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