Cherry Blossoms Will Come Out Early in Washington
One of the most popular events in Washington, D.C. each year is the National Cherry Blossom Festival. It takes place in early April.
The city’s first cherry trees were a gift from Japan to the United States in 1912. About 100 of them are still alive.
The cherry trees are a short walk from a number of major monuments, like the Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial and Washington Monument.
Over 1 million people travel to Washington each year to see the trees.
However, there is a small problem. The weather in Washington has been unusually warm in the past few weeks.
Small buds can already be seen on the cherry trees. These growths will turn into flowers sooner than usual.
In fact, this may be the earliest year ever for cherry blossoms.
Many people would like to see the blossoms come later.
The cherry blossoms are fragile. They do not last long and easily break apart. Strong winds or a heavy rain storm can knock them off the trees.
That is why there are still a lot of springtime events planned to celebrate the connection between Japan and the United States.
The Jefferson Memorial during the 2010 National Cherry Blossom Festival.
