This Map Tells You Where and When You Can See Cherry Blossoms in Central Park
With NYC’s Central Park covering 843 acres, even one of the world’s most recognizable trees would be hard to find within its grounds. Thankfully, we have a map.
The Central Park Conservancy has launched a cherry blossom tracker that will help you find the pink and white blossoms scattered throughout the sprawling New York City park. It offers info that’s helpful to those planning to do cherry blossom viewing, including: the locations of the trees, what varieties of Sakura trees can be seen, and the ideal times to visit.
According to the map, there are six main locations: the east and west sides of the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir, the Great Lawn, Cherry Hill, and the Sheep Meadow.
As for the varieties, Central Park has four types: Kwanzan (considered the showiest of all the cherry trees due to its thick clusters of flowers), Higan (one of the first species of cherry trees to be planted in the U.S. and known for their pink and white blooms), Yoshino (highly celebrated for its white foliage), and Okame (known for mildly fragrant, rosy-pink petals).
Although in mid-March, most of the park’s cherry blossoms are still in pre-peak phase, the Okame variety has already bloomed because of this year’s warm winter. You can now walk over to the west side of the reservoir, where the trees’ stunning petals are already on full display.
The other varieties are also expected to bloom earlier than usual, also due to the warming climate. So be sure to check the tracker for updates.
“Ranging from deep magenta to pale pink to crisp white, Central Park’s cherry trees are a must-see in spring. Their blossoms are beautiful, but these flowers are fleeting — and with this year’s warm winter, they’re blooming much earlier than usual,” the Conservancy said.
Central Park isn’t the only place in the city where you can view the pink trees. You can also see them in Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Little Island, Sakura Park, Riverside Park, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Randall’s Island Park, Roosevelt Island, and New York Botanical Garden.
As for other parts of the country, there are cherry blossoms at the Japanese American Historical Plaza in Portland, Oregon; at the University of Washington in Seattle; at Morgan Park in Nashville; at the Dallas Arboretum; at the Missouri Botanical Garden; and most famously, all around Washington, DC.