What Are Cherry Blossoms?
Cherry Blossoms cover the cherry trees that surround the Tidal Basin at the base of the Jefferson Monument and are found many other places in the nation’s capital city. They are truly a thing of beauty. Based on the history of the trees in Washington, the pink and white blossoms today symbolize friendship and giving. As we drive to the Capitol each morning, Barbara and I enjoy a view of the trees around the Tidal Basin surrounding the Jefferson Memorial. Every April, visitors flood in from all over the United States and the rest of the world during the two-week long Cherry Blossom Festival. I always enjoy getting to meet with Iowans during their sightseeing trips to take in the Cherry Blossoms. There’s also a Cherry Blossom Princess Pageant each year with contestants from each state and federal territory. Last year was extra special because Iowa’s contestant was a former intern in my office, Josie Rundlett of Vinton. Q: Where did the idea for the Cherry Blossoms come from? A: The idea
Cherry Blossoms cover the cherry trees that surround the Tidal Basin at the base of the Jefferson Monument and are found many other places in the nation’s capital city. They are truly a thing of beauty. Based on the history of the trees in Washington, the pink and white blossoms today symbolize friendship and giving. As we drive to the Capitol each morning, Barbara and I enjoy a view of the trees around the Tidal Basin surrounding the Jefferson Memorial. Every April, visitors flood in from all over the United States and the rest of the world during the two-week long Cherry Blossom Festival. I always enjoy getting to meet with Iowans during their sightseeing trips to take in the Cherry Blossoms. There’s also a Cherry Blossom Princess Pageant each year with contestants from each state and federal territory. Last year was extra special because Iowa’s contestant was a former intern in my office, Josie Rundlett of Vinton. Q: Where did the idea for the Cherry Blossoms come from? A: The idea
Cherry blossoms are simply the flowers of cherry trees, known for their beautiful appearance. They have become iconic symbols of springtime, and there are parts of the world where their blossoming is an enormous tourist event. Japan is particularly known for its cherry blossoms, with numerous festivals throughout the nation celebrating the beauty and aesthetic of the trees in relation to their surrounding environment. Although trees that actually bear cherry fruit also produce cherry blossoms, many of the cultivars most known for their flowers are in fact infertile. These are known as ornamental cherries, and have been bred to have especially beautiful blossoms, at the expense of fruit itself. In these cultivars, the reproductive stamens and pistils of the trees are instead replaced by an extra set of petals, so that they are sometimes referred to as double flowered trees. Although there are multiple ornamental cultivars, by far the most commonly planted is the Kanzan variety. There ar
Cherry Blossoms cover the cherry trees that surround the Tidal Basin at the base of the Jefferson Monument and are found many other places in the nations capital city. They are truly a thing of beauty. Based on the history of the trees in Washington, the pink and white blossoms today symbolize friendship and giving. As we drive to the Capitol each morning, Barbara and I enjoy a view of the trees around the Tidal Basin surrounding the Jefferson Memorial. Every April, visitors flood in from all over the United States and the rest of the world during the two-week long Cherry Blossom Festival. I always enjoy getting to meet with Iowans during their sightseeing trips to take in the Cherry Blossoms. Theres also a Cherry Blossom Princess Pageant each year with contestants from each state and federal territory. Last year was extra special because Iowas contestant was a former intern in my office, Josie Rundlett of Vinton. Q: Where did the idea for the Cherry Blossoms come from? A: The idea of
