Cherry blossoms
Enjoyed the out doors with class mates and we also learned a lot!!
Are any of the original trees still there?
Yes. I saw a lot of old trees when we walked on the embankment of the tidal basin. I think some of these old trees are the original trees. In addition, there is a cherry tree which is living in front of Library of Congress. It is over 100 years old. It is confirmed which was sent from Japan in 1912 as the gift of cherry trees.
How can you tell the old trees from younger ones?
The younger cherry blossom tree’s bark is glossy with some horizontal stripes, but the old one’s bark is rough with some dead tissues on the surface of the stems.
How do the cherry trees get their pretty shape?
The arborists use hand and power tolls to prune, hedge and examine the cherry trees every year. They care for individual trees and their appearance by removing excessive, dead or dying branches to keep the cherry trees healthy. So the cherry trees get their pretty shape each year.
What can I do to help preserve our cherry trees?
I couldn’t pick the cherry blossoms and tree limbs from the tree. Also, I would remind my child do not climb up onto the branches of tree since you might break the twigs. Overall, leave all the beautiful flowers for all visitors to enjoy in the spring.
Can I get cherries from these trees?
No, I can’t. I don’t think the cherry blossoms grow cherries. There or two types of cherry trees. There are the ones which have the beautiful blossoms and are called ornamental cherry trees like we saw in Washing, DC. Then there are the cherry trees grown in cherry orchards which produce the edible cherries one can buy in the supermarket.
Where did these trees come from and the story behind them?
These trees are given as gifts by Tokyo Mayor Yukio Ozaki and other Japanese from Yokohama which is a city of Japan because Japan appreciated that America supported them in Russo-Japanese War. Furthermore, Japanese wanted to promote peace and development of friendship between the two countries related to the cherry trees. Besides, some American liked cherry blossoms so much, such as Mrs. Eliza Ruhamah Scidmore and Mrs. Helen Herron Taft who was the first lady at that time.
How long ago where these trees planted?
These trees were planted in Washington, DC 103 years ago.
Where is the location of the cherry blossom trees?
The cherry blossoms in Washington, DC are located around the Tidal Basin in three National Parks: in West Potomac Park, in east Potomac Park and on the Washington Monument grounds.
