PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Get your camera and your picnic basket. It's the best time of the year in Philadelphia for checking out cherry blossom trees.
The buds have been analyzed, and the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia expects cherry blossoms to peak in Philly around April 10.
Some varieties, of course, have already started blooming. You can expect some trees to continue flowering through April 17.
“Here in Philadelphia, we have many different varieties of cherry trees, which means we have a longer blooming season," said Kim Andrews, the executive director of JASGP. She says Philly has more cherry trees than Washington, D.C., which is much more famous for that type of tree.
"In the (D.C.) tidal basin, they have two varieties, so their blooming season is very short. Most cherry trees will bloom for a week to two weeks (for) each type. But here in Philadelphia, because we have five, six, seven different types, we have about a month of when cherry blossoms appear."
Typically, cherry blossoms keep their blossoms for a week or two.
“They sway in the breeze so delicately," Andrews adds. "When they start to fall off, it’s called cherry blossom snow.”
People can find many of Philly's prime cherry blossom spots at West Fairmount Park near the Japanese House and Garden and on both sides of the Schuylkill River.
“Some of the great places to get out and view cherry blossoms, besides Shofuso and the Centennial Arboretum around us, is near the base of the Art Museum," Andrews advises.
"In Fitler Square, there are lots and lots of cherry trees just walking on the streets there, and (in) many city parks...going out into the neighborhoods, up into Penny Pack Creek and up into Mount Airy, there are cherry trees that are just kind of blossoming in the wild."
Click here for a map on where to check out cherry blossoms in Philly.