Don't be fooled by cherry blossom look-a-likes, says National Park Service

WASHINGTON - Don't be fooled into thinking D.C.'s cherry blossoms are already in bloom!

The National Mall and Memorial Parks division of the National Park Service tweeted a picture Wednesday of a look-a-like blossom from the Japanese flowering apricot tree. These trees are located near the D.C. War Memorial across from the Tidal Basin where the famous cherry trees are located.

The apricot trees bloom earlier, the National Mall NPS noted. They also have flowers attached directly to the branches and unlike the cherry blossoms, they have rounded petals rather than notched petals.

D.C.'s cherry blossoms typically reach peak bloom around the last few days of March through the first few days of April. In mid-March 2017, cold weather killed half of the blossoms on the famous cherry trees just as they were reaching peak bloom.