NEWS RELEASE

For release: March 24, 1999 Earle Kittleman (202) 260-3282

Rob DeFeo (Chief Horticulturist) (202) 619-7060

The landscape of flowering cherry trees around the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C. originated in 1912 as a gift of friendship to the United States from the people of Japan. The beauty of the cherry blossom in Japanese culture is a potent symbol equated with the evanescence of human life and the transformations Japanese culture has undergone through the ages.

Over the past 87 years, the blooming of the cherry trees around the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C. has come to symbolize the natural beauty of the Nation's capital city. Each spring hundreds of thousands of visitors from across the Nation and around the world come to Washington, D.C., hoping to catch sight of the trees at peak bloom.

The history of the cherry trees is increasingly important because only 125 trees are alive of the more than 3,000 that originally came from Japan. Preserving the genetic heritage of these internationally famous trees is the goal of research by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Park Service (NPS). In 1997, USDA's National Arboretum successfully rooted cuttings taken from the remaining "witness" trees, that were part of the historic event 87 years ago. After being grown in the field for at least two more growing seasons, these new witness trees will be mature enough to use to replace trees dying of old age. The goal is to preserve Washington's famous cherry tree grove to the highest NPS standards for culturally significant landscapes.

The history of cherry trees actually begins more than 100 years ago with the promotional efforts of Washington travel writer Eliza Scidmore. In 1885, upon returning from her first visit to Japan, Mrs. Scidmore approached the Superintendent of Public Buildings and Grounds with a proposal that cherry trees be planted along the soon-to-be-reclaimed Potomac waterfront. Her request fell on deaf ears, and over the next 24 years, Mrs. Scidmore approached every new Superintendent with her proposal with no success.

In 1906, Dr. David Fairchild, an official of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and a plant explorer, imported 100 flowering cherry trees from the Yokohama Nursery Company in Japan. He planted the trees on a hillside on his own land in Chevy Chase, Maryland, where he was testing their hardiness. Pleased with the success of the trees, he began to promote them for planting along the avenues of Washington, D.C. Dr. Fairchild also gave cherry saplings to boys from each D.C. school to plant in their schoolyard for the observance of Arbor Day.  

The first reference to the eventual site of the cherry trees came at the close of one of Dr. Fairchild's Arbor Day lectures. He expressed an appeal that the "Speedway" (the present day corridor of Independence Avenue, S.W., in West Potomac Park) be transformed into a "Field of Cherries." In attendance was Mrs. Scidmore, who decided to try to raise the money required to purchase the cherry trees and then donate the trees to the city.

As a matter of course, Mrs. Scidmore sent a note to the new First Lady, Helen Taft, who responded in support of the plan. First Lady Taft had once lived in Japan and was familiar with the beauty of the flowering cherry trees.

Dr. Jokichi Takamine, the Japanese chemist famous for the discovery of adrenaline, was in Washington, D.C., at the time. When told that Washington was to have Japanese cherry trees planted along the Speedway, he asked whether First Lady Taft would accept a donation. Dr. Takamine met with First Lady Taft, who accepted the offer of trees.

A total of 2,000 trees arrived Jan. 6, 1910 in Washington, D.C.; however, an inspection team for USDA found the trees were infested with insects and diseases and had to be destroyed. Dr. Takamine and the Mayor of Tokyo met the distressing news with determination and good will. Dr. Takamine again donated the cost for the trees, whose number had now increased to 3,020. The cuttings or scions for these trees were taken in December 1910 from the famous collection on the bank of the Arakawa River in Adachi Ward, a suburb of Tokyo, and grafted on specially selected understock in Itami City, Hyogo Prefecture.

A total of 3,020 cherry trees were shipped Feb.14, 1912, from Yokohama bound for Seattle, Washington. Upon arrival they were transferred to insulated freight cars for shipment to Washington, D.C., and on March 27, First Lady Taft and the Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese Ambassador, planted two Yoshino cherry trees (Prunus x yedoensis) on the northern bank of the Tidal Basin. Most trees in the original gift were the Yoshino variety, which produce the greatest profusion of white blossoms. In full bloom, their mass effect is that of white clouds encircling the Tidal Basin.

Approximately 125 of the original trees, including the two planted ceremonially, are all that remain from the original 1912 donation. These two trees can be found several hundred yards west of the John Paul Jones statue at the south end of 17th Street and are identified with bronze plaques commemorating the occasion. Washington, D.C.'s, renowned Cherry Blossom Festival had its inception in this simple ceremony which was witnessed by only a few persons.

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March 19, 1999 background.USDAgift.Cherries