The National Park Service (NPS) announced in a tweet Saturday that the cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin have reached peduncle elongation or Stage 4 of the blooming process.
Peak bloom, which is when 70% of the Yoshino Cherry blossoms are open, is still expected March 22-25 according to NPS. However, there is only one stage left, puffy white, before peak bloom which is the final of all six phases.
According to data from NPS, since 2004 the puffy white stage has occurred between about 2-4 days after peduncle elongation. So, the trees may open earlier than expected.
For now, flower petals are showing through as the stems grow.
(Featured photo of Stage 4 courtesy of the National Mall and Memorial Parks, National Park Service @NationalMallNPS)
Peduncle Elongation! It's not funny, it's science. (Ok, it's kind of funny.) We're at the 4th of 6 stages on the path to peak bloom.
🌸🌸🌸🌸/🌸🌸
Follow #BloomWatch online at https://t.co/h04Gu0ksc1#cherryblossom #WashingtonDC pic.twitter.com/d2ofvyvLmr— National Mall NPS (@NationalMallNPS) March 11, 2023
