D.C.’s cherry trees at stage 3 of the bloom cycle, with florets starting to extend

The cherry trees along the Tidal Basin on Monday reached the third stage of the six-part bloom cycle, with florets extending outward.

The trees started off the bloom cycle when the first green buds appeared Wednesday. The buds developed further into florets by Friday, and as of Monday, the florets were extending outward, according to the National Park Service bloom watch website.

The stalks for each eventual blossom, known as peduncles, will grow longer at the fourth stage, followed by the appearance of puffy blossoms and finally peak bloom, which the National Park Service defines as the day when 70% of the Tidal Basin cherry trees are showing open blossoms.

Park officials expect peak bloom to occur between March 29 and April 1.

So far, the trees are beating the pace set in 2025, 2021 and 2013, the previous three times the bloom cycle started on March 11. In those three years, the trees reached the floret extension phase on March 19, 22 and 26.

The speed of the process depends on how warm or cool the days are after the buds first appear.

The National Park Service says that “cool, calm weather can extend the length of the bloom, and a rainy, windy day can bring an abrupt end to the ephemeral blossoms. A late frost can prevent the trees from blooming at all.”

The National Cherry Blossom Festival, to celebrate the trees reaching full bloom, will be held from Friday through April 12.