Cherry or plum blossoms? Here is what is in bloom, what will be blooming around Tacoma
You’ve probably noticed different hues of pink flowers blooming from the recently-bare trees that are scattered across Tacoma and thought two things:
- Spring is finally here.
- It’s cherry blossom season.
But only one of those assumptions is correct, and that is that the spring season is here, at least according to the meteorological calendar.
Although most people may associate and assume that the pink flowers blooming on trees are cherry blossoms, that isn’t necessarily true.
Mark McDonough, a Metro Parks Tacoma urban forester, said in an interview that the city of Tacoma has a number of cherry blossom trees, but they’re not blooming yet, and those pink blooms may not be what you think they are.
“A lot of the blossoms that people are seeing are plum trees, not cherry trees, so you might get some pink and white blossoms,” McDonough said.
Flowers that bloom on plum trees and cherry trees are similar is color and shape, but there are key differences in each tree that can help you identify one from the other.
Differences between cherry blossom and plum trees
Differentiating between a cherry tree and a plum tree can be done by taking a closer look at the bark of the trees.
McDonough said that the texture and physical markings on a tree can help you identify if you are looking at a plum tree or cherry tree.
“If you’re looking at the bark of the tree, a plum tree might have a smoother tree while a cherry tree might be rigid with orange markings and circular rings,” McDonough said.
Aside from cherry trees having the horizontal rings known as lenticels, a cherry blossom’s petals are slightly serrated while the flowers blooming from a plum tree do not.
How did cherry trees get to Tacoma?
The cherry blossom trees that are scattered across different parks in Tacoma were not always there.
The first cherry blossoms that were planted in American soil were gifted from the people of Japan to the United States in 1912 and became “a symbol of warm relations between the two nations,” according to Metro Parks Tacoma. Although the trees were intended to be primarily planted in Washington, D.C., a second round of shipments of over 3,000 cherry blossoms arrived from Japan in Seattle, and Puget Sound quickly adopted the cherry blossom as their own.
The Japanese Garden at Point Defiance not only commemorates history and relationship between Japan and the U.S., but it also serves as a symbol that celebrates the Sister City friendship that Tacoma has had with Kitakyushu Japan since 1959.
Where to see cherry trees in Tacoma
You’ve probably been told that the best place to see cherry blossoms is at the Quad at the University of Washington and although this is a great place, you don’t necessarily need to drive to Seattle to see blossoms.
Tacoma has about 400 cherry blossoms trees most of which are Kwanzan cherry trees which are known as the most prolific bloomer in the flowering cherry family.
Other than Kwanzan cherry trees, McDonough said that the city also has cherry trees that bear various types of cherries. There are 25 trees that bear rainier berries and 43 trees that bear sweet cherries.
Cherry blossoms typically begin to bloom in late March and into early April. The window to see the bloom is very short, so if you want to see the cherry blossoms this year, it might be best to make a plan.
Here are eight places located in or near Tacoma where you can see cherry blossoms this spring.
Point Defiance Park - 5400 N. Pearl St., Tacoma
The Japanese Garden in Point Defiance was first established in 1965. The garden is located just north of the park’s visitor center and pagoda and features many more flowers and plants as well as an oriental footbridge, waterfall, Japanese lanterns and a small “tea house”.
Wright Park - 501 S. I St., Tacoma
Japanese flowering cherries were first introduced at Wright Park in 1936, according to Metro Parks. This park in Tacoma’s Stadium District consists of 27 acres and over 600 trees.
Wapato Hills Park - 6231 S. Wapato St., Tacoma
Wapato Hills Park has 22 mature cherry trees which makes this park one of the best places to see a ton of blossoms. You can get a nice view of the plants near the park’s Skip and Laura Vaughn Playfield.
Tacoma Chinese Reconciliation Park - 1741 N. Schuster Parkway, Tacoma
The Chinese Reconciliation Park was created to celebrate Tacoma’s “cultural diversity and common humanity,” the park’s website states. It is located north of Ruston Way and Old Town and contains trails, pathways, and interpretive signage.
Kandle Park - 2323 N Shirley St., Tacoma
Kandle Park is located in the west end of Tacoma near the Proctor District. The park has 50 mature cherry trees which makes it one of the best locations to see cherry blossoms.
Stewart Heights Park - 5715 Reginald Gutierrez Ln, Tacoma
Stewart Heights Park in Tacoma’s east side and south end and has a total of 34 cherry trees. The park is 24.55 acres and features updated playing fields, skateboard park, playground and a large outdoor swimming pool with water slide and zero-depth entry.
Chambers Creek Regional Park - 6320 Grandview Dr. W., University Place
A row of sakura (Japanese for cherry blossom) trees lines a paved path that leads to a labyrinth on the park’s western edge. Chambers Creek consists of 930 acres on the shore of Puget Sound.
Lakewold Gardens - 12317 Gravelly Lake Dr. SW, Lakewood
This area in Lakewood was transformed into a horticulture center in the early 1900s. Today, visitors can stop by the center for group tours, Friday drop-in hours or other special events. According to a spokesperson, the cherry blossoms will be blooming within the next two to three weeks.
This story was originally published March 14, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
