Every year in Spring, despite the March winds that wreak havoc in Virginia, we have an explosion of cherry blossoms that are so stunning photos just don’t do them justice. The other thing I love about them is the history of how they ended up in the U.S…. and the long, difficult path these trees took to get here.
The iconic cherry blossom trees in Washington, D.C. are not only a beautiful springtime attraction, they are also a symbol of friendship between the United States and Japan. The story of these trees dates back to the early 20th century and reflects a long-standing bond between the two nations. But the actual story of how the trees came to the tidal basin dates back even further.
In 1885, Mrs. Eliza Ruhama Scidmore, a U.S. diplomat, returned to Washington after spending time in Japan. Knowing that the Potomac waterfront, and the Tidal Basin, were being renovated, she contacted the U.S. Army Superintendent of the Office of Public Buildings and Grounds and suggested that Japanese cherry trees be planted along the waterfront. But her suggestion was ignored. Still, over the next 24 years, she badgered every new superintendent about her idea to plan the Japanese cherry tress along the tidal basin.
Then, in 1906, Dr. David Fairchild (a plant explorer and USDA official), agreed with Mrs. Scidmore and imported 75 flowering cherry trees and 25 weeping cherry trees from the Yokohama Nursery Company in Japan. The next year, after seeing the success of his plantings, Dr. Fairchild and Mrs. Scidmore tried to promote the idea that these types of trees were perfect for the entire Washington, D.C. area. Then, on September 26, 1907, the Chevy Chase Land Company agreed to order 300 cherry trees for Chevy Chase, MD. They weren’t planted in D.C., but they were close.
In 1908, Dr. Fairchild gave cherry tree saplings to the school children in D.C. for Arbor Day, hoping the children would plant them around the city. He then spoke of his dream to have the area around the Tidal Basin transformed into a “Field of Cherries”. Mrs. Scidmore, who was at the Arbor Day event, agreed. His plan was to test the ability of the cherry trees to survive in the Washington, D.C. area–and a year later his experiment was successful.
In 1909, Mrs. Scidmore, desperate to raise the money necessary to purchase enough cherry trees to donate to the city, sent a note to the new First Lady, Helen Herron Taft. This letter outlined the plan to transform the city into a “Field of Cherries”. Mrs. Taft, who’d lived in Japan and loved the cherry trees, responded with this letter:
The White House, Washington
April 7, 1909
Thank you very much for your suggestion about the cherry trees. I have taken the matter up and am promised the trees, but I thought perhaps it would be best to make an avenue of them, extending down to the turn in the road, as the other part is still too rough to do any planting. Of course, they could not reflect in the water, but the effect would be very lovely of the long avenue. Let me know what you think about this.
Sincerely yours,
Helen H. Taft
The day after Mrs. Taft’s letter was sent to Mrs. Scidomore, Dr. Jokichi Takamine (the Japanese chemist who discovered adrenaline and takadiastase and was also in D.C. at at the time) met with Mr. Midzuno, the Japanese consul. The two men were discussing this letter (which they found about through a mutual friend) and Dr. Takamine asked Mr. Midzuno if Japan would donate 2,000 trees to the city. Mr. Midzuno thought it was a wonderful idea and offered that the trees be donated in the name of the city of Tokyo. So Dr. Takamine asked the Mayor of Tokyo (a man named Yukio Ozaki) whether he’d make the donation to the United States.
Mayor Yukio Ozaki loved the idea, and Mrs. Taft agreed to accept the donation of 2,000 cherry trees! Meanwhile, five days after her acceptance of the trees, the Superintendent of the Office of Public Buildings and Grounds, Colonel Spencer Cosby, U.S. Army, purchased 90 Fugenzo Cherry Trees (Prunus serrulata “Fugenzo”) from Hoopes Brothers and Thomas Co., West Chester, PA. He did this on his own, not realizing that other trees were on their way. These 90 trees were planted along the Potomac Rover, from the Lincoln Memorial, toward East Potomac Park. But not long after they were planted, it was discovered that the trees weren’t name properly. They were the wrong cultivar and had to be dug up.
Finally, on August 30, 1090, the Japanese Embassy officially told the U.S. Department of State that the City of Tokyo intended to donate 2,000 cherry trees to be planted along the Potomac River. On December 10, 2000 cherry trees arrived in Seattle. On January 6, 1910, the trees arrived in Washington, D.C.–except on January 19, inspectors discovered the trees were infested with insects and nematodes. The diseased trees had to be destroyed to protect American agriculture.
On January 28, President Taft ordered to trees to be burned. Everyone involved was upset with this situation, and Tokyo Mayor Yukio Ozaki suggested a second donation. Finally, on February 14, 1912, 3,020 cherry trees from twelve varieties were shipped from Yokohama. The trees sailed across the pacific on board the S.S. Awa Maru, bound for Seattle. When they arrived, they were sent in insulated freight cars to Washington. D.C. The first cherry trees were planted on March 27, 1912. First Lady Helen Herron Taft and Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese ambassador, ceremonially planted two of the original trees along the northern bank of the Tidal Basin. These trees still stand today as a reminder of that historic moment.
The cherry blossoms quickly became a beloved feature of Washington, D.C.’s landscape, drawing both locals and visitors to the National Mall each spring. In 1935, the first Cherry Blossom Festival was held to celebrate the blooming trees. Today, the festival has grown into an annual, multi-week event that attracts over a million visitors from around the world. During World War II, relations between the United States and Japan were strained, and some of the cherry trees were vandalized. However, in the post-war period, the trees once again became a symbol of peace and reconciliation. In 1965, Japan gifted an additional 3,800 trees to the U.S., further cementing the tradition.
The cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C., bloom from late March to early April, with the peak bloom typically occurring in early April. This breathtaking natural display transforms the Tidal Basin into a sea of soft pink and white, providing a serene and picturesque backdrop for visitors and photographers alike. The cherry blossoms continue to represent the friendship between Japan and the United States, as well as the beauty of nature and the hope of renewal that springtime brings. The other thing I love about this story is that it proves that no matter how small or insignificant your dream might seem, you should never give up on it. I have no that if Mrs. Scidmore was still alive, she’d be astounded that her and Dr. Fairchild’s dream of a “Field of Cherries” have had such a profound, beautiful effect on the world.
