April 08, 2025
Michaela Althouse/PhillyVoice
Philadelphia's cherry blossom trees are in peak bloom — when 70% of flowers are open — for the final day in 2025.
The air was cold, the winds were high and flower petals rained down on the squishy, wet ground at Fairmount Park on Monday – the final day that Philadelphia's cherry blossom trees are in peak bloom. But it was one of the only sunny days during the best window to see the florals.
Cherry blossoms, a sign of spring in cities across the world, range from bright pink to white. In Philadelphia, the trees are mostly concentrated in West Fairmount Park and along the Schuylkill River.
The trees flower over the course of two weeks and in six stages: green buds, florets visible, extension of florets, peduncle elongation, puffy white and peak bloom – when 70% of the white flowers are open. In Philadelphia, peak bloom was predicted for April 5-8.
The cherry blossoms have marked spring in Philadelphia for nearly 100 years.
In 1926, Japan gifted 1,600 flowering trees, including cherry blossom trees, to Philadelphia to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. In 1998, the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia began a 10-year campaign to add another 1,000 trees. And next year, the organization will plant another 250 trees, mostly in Fairmount Park, to honor the United States' 250th anniversary.
For those who missed peak bloom this year, fear not. Cherry blossoms typically last about a week after their peak bloom, so there's still time to catch them. But for those who might miss out, we snapped a few photos of the blooms at their best.
Cherry tree blossoms along Lansdowne Drive.
Up close with the spring blooms.
The flowers can range from deep pink to white with either single or double petals.
Some of Fairmount Park's pinker blooms.
The view from below.
Outside the the Shofuso Japanese Cultural Center.
The cherry blossom trees often bloom alongside another pink spring flower: the magnolia blossom.
The path of trees outside the Fairmount Park Horticultural Center.
Petals blowing in the wind.
Until next year.
