The backstory of Washington, D.C.’s famous flowering cherry trees features four determined and exceptional individuals, each with ties to two countries, the United States and Japan. One was a trailblazing female journalist, another an eminent scientist; a third made a career as a “plant explorer,” the fourth was First Lady of the United States. How they came to make common cause in importing an exotic tree to America—a cherry tree that produced no cherries—is the subject of this virtual walking tour that takes in sites along the National Mall and beyond. You’ve marveled at the dazzling display of Japanese cherry trees in bloom each springtime. Discover how and why they came to be planted.
This program is inspired by Washington Walks’ Blossom Secrets Stroll walking tour and will be presented by Washington Walks’ founder Carolyn Crouch.
This virtual experience will also be offered Saturday, April 3.
