Cherry blossom trees

Least

Most

The beauty of D.C.’s cherry blossoms isn’t in the festival, the parade or the hordes of tourists who descend upon the National Mall.

It’s in quietly strolling down a familiar path to the grocery store, suddenly seeing flowers emerge from branches that were barren for months. And more the next day, and the next, until the whole neighborhood is in bloom again.

Then the pollen hits, the flowers fall off to be replaced by leaves and the overwhelming humidity of summer sets in. But for a brief interlude, the streets of your home have never seemed so lovely.

I wanted to see where I should walk to see even more cherry blossoms without the chaos of the Mall. (Don’t get me wrong: the Tidal Basin in bloom is stunning, but much like Times Square on New Year’s Eve it isn’t the scene for everyone.)

Using data from Casey Trees, I mapped cherry trees across the District to count how many are near any address. Click on your home to find how many you can reach in a half mile radius, or about a ten minute walk.

Consider this just a starting point, a partial view of the blooms you can find on your next trek to the pharmacy. The data doesn’t include trees planted on private property and some parks. Many of my favorite trees are planted in lawns of apartment buildings and row homes, missing from the map but still bringing just as much joy as those found a few feet away in the city-owned tree boxes.

On a less busy spring day, you might want to explore a new place in search of more flowers and a different view of the blooms. You can even ride a themed train or bus to get there. (Track them online!)

Here’s how many cherry trees are near each Metro stop. Yes, the Mall is the blossom capital of the District. But plenty of other neighborhoods are full of the flowers too, without the crowds. Pick almost any stop outside of downtown D.C. and you’ll find plenty of trees nearby.

I don’t live in a peak cherry blossom neighborhood, according to the data.

But does it really matter? Are 200 trees so much better than 100 or 50? Seeing 20 trees in full bloom as I walk to buy groceries is still a delight.

In another month or two, when the flowers are long gone and it’s 90 degrees at 8 a.m., I’ll be longing for the return of winter, and then, once again, the blossoms of spring.