What to Look For Around the Tidal Basin
About 600,000 people a year walk along Washington's Tidal Basin to welcome spring with the blooming of the cherry blossoms. If they look closely, they should detect four different types of trees.
Weeping Higan
The 34 Weeping Higans around the Tidal Basin are the first among the 1,628 cherry trees there to burst into bloom. They display single or double layers of petals that range in color from white to dark pink.
Yoshino
The 1,405 Yoshino trees bloom two weeks after the Weeping Higans, displaying almond-scented blossoms in single, white clusters. The blossoms appear to create a white cloud around the Tidal Basin.
Akebono
The Akebono trees bloom at the same time as the Yoshinos. The trees produce single pale-pink blossoms that fade to white. There are 105 Akebono trees around the Tidal Basin.
Kwanzan
Bloom seven to 10 days after the Yoshino; produce deep pink double flowers up to 2.5 inches across that fade with age; grouped together in tight clusters with about 30 petals in each cluster. There are 44 Kwanzans at the basin.
