THE EARLIEST BLOOMERS ARE AT THEIR PEAK IN NORTH PARK. THESE PHOTOS WERE TAKEN ON MARCH 16, 2024. | PHOTOS BY MISTY ADAMS

While the blooming cherry blossoms have already peaked in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh’s own version of that spectacular show around Marshall Lake in North Park is already underway, and the best viewing opportunity is still to come. 

The Pittsburgh Sakura Project, a nonprofit that has been planting and maintaining the Japanese ornamental cherry trees since 2009 in North Park, says the trees will bloom in stages, so the dazzling display will last for a few weeks. They predict optimal viewing will be the last week in March.

 “Our earliest bloomers are at their peak now,” says Carol Tenny, a Sakura board member, in an email. “There are many different varieties, and they bloom at different times, so there will be waves of them from now until some time in April.” 

They can be seen near the boathouse area of North Park off of Pearce Mill Road. Among the varieties throughout the groves are Accolade cherry, weeping cherry, Yoshino cherry, Akebono cherry and Kwanzan cherry. They’re planted among non-cherry trees such as black gum, Eastern white pine and American hornbeams. 

The project is the brainchild of Fumio Yasuzawa, who came to the United States from Japan in 1975, and it has been facilitated by a fleet of dedicated volunteers. The first planting day was April 25, 2009. So far 282 cherry trees have been planted and another 10 are expected to be planted this fall; the survival rate of the plantings is about 75%, Tenny says.

Sakura, which means cherry blossom, is Japan’s unofficial national flower and has deep meaning in Japanese culture; it symbolizes many things ranging from life, death and renewal.

On April 14, the project will hold a special Hanami (flower-viewing) event from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Harmony Shelter in North Park, but Tenny urges folks not to wait that long to come see them for the first time as the show is well underway.