# Cherry blossoms in Washington **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 8, 2012, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cherry-blossoms-in-washington/618162 "2012-04-08T08:35:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2012, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cherry-blossoms-in-washington/618162/1 "2012-04-08T08:35:44Z")
I had no idea that the Japanese had made such a wonderful gift 100 years ago. And I wish I could take such spectacular photographs. > **[In Pictures: Cherry blossom festival](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/17589684)** > > The annual cherry blossom is out in full bloom in Washington DC - this year marks 100 years since the trees were given as a gift from Japan. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2012, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cherry-blossoms-in-washington/618162/2 "2012-04-08T15:06:21Z")
It’s cherry blossom season in Japan too, although not yet up in the frozen tundra where I live. Good times. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cherry-blossoms-in-washington/618162/3 "2012-04-09T13:48:01Z")
Here’s a neat factoid: > [@](#): > > During World War II, the cherry trees of Tokyo – “parents” of the Washington trees – died of neglect. In 1952, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt arranged for grafts from the D.C. trees to be sent to reforest the original Japanese groves. [Source](http://www.bbb.org/blog/2012/03/a-century-of-cherry-blossoms-in-washington/) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cherry-blossoms-in-washington/618162/4 "2012-04-09T15:53:27Z")
Nitpick: by 1952 Eleanor Roosevelt was a former First Lady. The First Lady at that time was Bess Truman. Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cherry-blossoms-in-washington/618162/5 "2012-04-09T16:07:52Z")
Thank you, Japan! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Springtime_for_Spacers)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cherry-blossoms-in-washington/618162/6 "2012-04-09T18:09:34Z")
I knew about the cherry trees in Washington but not that they were a gift from Japan, nor the spectacular variety of them. Lovely. One thing from the accompanying text that concerned me, it says that the average life of a cherry blossom tree is only thirty years. I’ve been nurturing a flowering cherry in my garden since it was a twig. It’s in its late teens now, I’m sad to think it may not even last as long again. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cherry-blossoms-in-washington/618162/7 "2012-04-09T18:47:48Z")
> [@Mr.Moto](#): > > Nitpick: by 1952 Eleanor Roosevelt was a former First Lady. The First Lady at that time was Bess Truman. > > Carry on. Yeah, I wondered about the protocol for that, but I was too lazy to look it up. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cherry-blossoms-in-washington/618162/8 "2012-04-09T18:51:09Z")
> [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](#): > > One thing from the accompanying text that concerned me, it says that the average life of a cherry blossom tree is only thirty years. I’ve been nurturing a flowering cherry in my garden since it was a twig. It’s in its late teens now, I’m sad to think it may not even last as long again. To the Japanese, that’s part of the appeal. The cherry blossoms do not last long, and the impermanence of such beauty is a constant theme in Japanese art and philosophy and a major reason they have such affection for cherry trees. I am sure they find fitting the realization that the tree itself (not just the blossoms) is also impermanent. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cherry-blossoms-in-washington/618162/9 "2012-04-09T18:51:31Z")
I grew up in the DC area. The dogwoods bloom at the same time. Then within days there’s pink and white shit all over the ground. Good times. ---
**Author:** ![Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Springtime_for_Spacers)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cherry-blossoms-in-washington/618162/10 "2012-04-09T20:14:56Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > To the Japanese, that’s part of the appeal. The cherry blossoms do not last long, and the impermanence of such beauty is a constant theme in Japanese art and philosophy and a major reason they have such affection for cherry trees. I am sure they find fitting the realization that the tree itself (not just the blossoms) is also impermanent. I can understand that, just amazed it took me so long to learn this pertinant fact about one of my favourite trees. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cherry-blossoms-in-washington/618162/11 "2012-04-09T21:53:21Z")
We used to love walking around the Tidal Basin in the spring. It really is gorgeous. We were delighted to find cherry trees, magnolias, dogwoods, camellias, and many others here in Portland, which turn spring into quite a show. Also, our Asian pear tree in the front yard is in bloom right now.