U.S. Capitol Cherry Blossoms Map

Spring in Washington, D.C., officially arrives with the blooming of the cherry trees and the National Cherry Blossom Festival. More than 1.5 million visitors come to the District each year to admire these trees that surround the Tidal Basin. Many will use their trip to tour museums and local landmarks like the U.S. Capitol while in town.

The Architect of the Capitol's Capitol Grounds and Arboretum crew cares for both big and small groups of cherry trees of several different varieties:

• Prunus serrulata 'Kanzan' (cherry, Kanzan Japanese flowering)
• Prunus serrulata (cherry, Japanese flowering)
• Prunus subhirtella (Higan)
• Prunus x 'NCPH1' (cherry, Pink Cascade weeping)
• Prunus x incam 'Okame' (cherry, Taiwan)
• Prunus x subhirtella 'Pendula' (cherry, weeping Higan)
• Prunus x yedoensis 'Akebono' (cherry, Akebono Yoshino)
• Prunus x yedoensis 'Shidare Yoshino' (cherry, weeping Yoshino)
• Prunus x yedoensis (cherry, Yoshino)

One of the largest groupings is in Lower Senate Park, where there are more than 100 cherry trees lining the fountain and pathways. Use the map above to spot these blossoms across the campus.

Video Transcript

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Maureen O'Connor, Education Specialist: And then these cherry blossoms that we're looking at are obviously a visitor favorite. People when they come to D.C. love them, so were the cherry blossoms themselves, were they part of Olmsted's design when he was coming up with what the grounds would look like or how did these come into the picture.

Dr. Emily Mueller, Plant Health Care Specialist: If you think back to the late 1800s, we were sitting amongst swampland. I mean, it was just nothing really there established, and so what was documented and what Olmsted really wanted to focus on was what are the plantings and the species that are already here and cherry is one of them, Prunus species, that was listed as naturalized or established. And a thing to know, the number of plantings were not known in his original list, but what is important is that we have about 291 plants of just cherry trees on the Capitol Square.

O'Connor: Wonderful.

So when we're looking at these cherry blossom trees on the grounds and from your perspective as well as a member of the Capitol Grounds staff, what role do these cherry blossom trees play on the grounds both maybe in terms of design and also thinking about our pollinators and other insects in the area too?

Dr. Mueller: Very good question.

So Maureen, I think when, when we think about the Capitol Square specifically, Olmsted's plan and design was all about making sure to highlight the building itself, not having as many flowering plants or anything that was showy or attractant that would deter our attention from the building itself.

So if you go around and you take a look at the Capitol Square, you'll notice that there are very few flowering trees or flowering plants around that landscape, however, there are a lot of cherry trees on the campus and they are one of the early spring bloomers that provide nectar and pollen resources for our pollinators and beneficial insects.

I mean, think about it, we've just gone through a long winter, those insects are hibernating, they've hunkered down, and now the weather's warmer, it's time. "I'm hungry. I need to find some food." And one of the first things that they can come is, is seeing these cherry trees and these blossoms that are available. Otherwise they'd be starving and really struggling to find something to make it through the season.

O'Connor: Yeah, so they're not just beautiful trees for us to take pictures of, they serve a really important purpose.

Dr. Mueller: Oh yeah. I mean, you're talking to an entomologist here.

[Laughter]

O'Connor: So obviously these trees are really beautiful, they're great to look at, but I'm sure that
you face challenges in your day to day care of the grounds in general, but are there some
that you can share with our viewers.

Dr. Mueller: Yeah, Maureen, that's a great question.

You know, when you think about a plant, it's stationary. It's growing its roots and its not able to kind of walk away from any problem and so it's every plant that we deal with has a constant sort of influx of plant diseases or fungal pathogens and insect pests as well as vertebrates can be really devastating here on the property especially to the trunks and the branches, ripping away a lot of that bark.

However, despite those challenges, what's really fascinating to me I find is if you think about our landscape, here we are in the middle of a metroplex. I mean, Olmsted did not envision, I mean I don't know what he was envisioning, but I don't think he envisioned all of these people, these cars, this hardscape and despite all of this modern technology these trees are here thriving, our landscape is thriving.

With all these urban stressors and urban factors that we have to adapt to, they still are able to grow strong and bring our community here to see such beautiful landscapes as well as our pollinators.

O'Connor: It sounds like a lot of work to keep the grounds as beautiful as you and your team do.

Dr. Mueller: We're trying the best we can.

[Laughter]

O'Connor: So Emily, I know you and your team are taking care of such a big expansive grounds, but a lot of our viewers I'm sure at home are trying to take care of plants in their backyards. What advice as an expert would you give them about ensuring that these environments are, you know, healthy and sustained for pollinators?

Dr. Mueller: So I know a lot of people think, oh I have just such a small yard what is it that my little space can do to make a difference, and it's amazing what one single homeowner can do to make a huge difference to beautifying and also giving a benefit to our, our insects and our habitat.

One of the things that I think a lot of people don't realize is that here our cherry trees are blooming and they're one of the first bloomers in the spring. Well, as a homeowner thinking about, well these pollinators need constant food throughout the season and is there a way that I can design my garden or have something in my garden so that there's flowers or nectar or pollen, sources of food for these pollinators throughout the season whether it's spring, summer, fall, and just having that sort of diverse palette so that our pollinators will not only have something to eat, but they can also go to your neighbor and find something and then they'll, they'll be here and they'll be maintained in your local community versus having to sort of recruit them from afar. And so, the more food, flowering plants you can have, the more likely they are going to stay.

O'Connor: Wonderful. That's such great advice and thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and expertise with us today. We really appreciate it.

Dr. Mueller: Maureen, thanks for having me, you and your team, and I hope that the next time people come through and appreciate the sort of aesthetics and the design that Olmsted put in to making our campus beautiful here at the Capitol Grounds and Arboretum.

O'Connor: Absolutely and thank you to all of you watching and for joining us on this spotlight on the Capitol Grounds.