Washington's cherry blossoms began to bloom this week, with crowds of tourists, nature lovers and photographers scrambling to the city’s Tidal Basin for a view of the trees’ famed pink flowers.
“They are among Washington’s greatest springtime traditions,” Mike Litterst, of the National Park Service, told The National.
“Cherry trees with the backdrop of the Jefferson Memorial and the Washington Monument — you’d be hard-pressed to beat that.”
The trees have not quite reached peak bloom, which is when more than 70 per cent of the Yoshino varieties have blossoms. Peak bloom is likely to occur over the weekend, but stormy weather in the forecast may dampen some of the splendour and blow petals from the trees.
Visitors travelled from near and far to marvel at the flowers, posing for photos and snapping close-up images for social media.
“Came up about 20 miles [32 kilometres],” said Mark Murphy, a recently retired Virginia resident.
“This is the first time I’ve been able to carve out the time to come down here and really enjoy a local treasure.”
“We’re actually from Trinidad and Tobago,” said sisters Taherra and Ramona Tim Kee.
“It’s not something we would have experienced growing up in such a tropical island. We love it.”
But the trees, which were given to the city as a gift from Tokyo more than a century ago, face some challenges due to climate change.
Similar to last year, peak bloom will come earlier, compared to the 30-year average of March 31, due to unusually warm weather.
“The earlier that peak bloom occurs, the more likely it is that there is a frost that could occur when the petals are coming out,” said Mr Litterst.
“That’s a critical time for the petals.”
Temperatures below minus 2°C can damage the blooms, something that happened in 2017, when a late frost killed about half the blossoms.
Mr Litterst also points to sea-level rise as a potential problem for the trees in the Tidal Basin.
He says the water level there has risen by about 0.3 metres since the trees were planted.
“This has caused a lot of the trees to have their roots flooded during high tide.”
The National Park Service is now taking steps to repair and heighten seawalls to better protect the trees.
There is cause to act fast, as more than one million visitors come to enjoy the cherry blossoms in Washington every year.
Agencies contributed to this report
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SUNDERLAND 2002-03
No one has ended a Premier League season quite like Sunderland. They lost each of their final 15 games, taking no points after January. They ended up with 19 in total, sacking managers Peter Reid and Howard Wilkinson and losing 3-1 to Charlton when they scored three own goals in eight minutes.
SUNDERLAND 2005-06
Until Derby came along, Sunderland’s total of 15 points was the Premier League’s record low. They made it until May and their final home game before winning at the Stadium of Light while they lost a joint record 29 of their 38 league games.
HUDDERSFIELD 2018-19
Joined Derby as the only team to be relegated in March. No striker scored until January, while only two players got more assists than goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. The mid-season appointment Jan Siewert was to end his time as Huddersfield manager with a 5.3 per cent win rate.
ASTON VILLA 2015-16
Perhaps the most inexplicably bad season, considering they signed Idrissa Gueye and Adama Traore and still only got 17 points. Villa won their first league game, but none of the next 19. They ended an abominable campaign by taking one point from the last 39 available.
FULHAM 2018-19
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LA LIGA: Sporting Gijon, 13 points in 1997-98.
BUNDESLIGA: Tasmania Berlin, 10 points in 1965-66
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Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
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Sand storm
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