Can't make it to the Tidal Basin for peak bloom? Check out the National Arboretum

WASHINGTON — Cherry blossom season is in full swing in the D.C. region. While we haven't quite reached peak bloom at the Tidal Basin yet, the District has much more to offer than that one iconic spot to see the trees. 

There is a wide variety of cherry blossoms to check out around town, and the National Arboretum on New York Avenue Northeast is home to a lot of them. Botanist Stefan Lura explained there is more to the season than peak bloom.

"There are so many different kinds to see here, and it's probably the longest season of cherries you're going to find in the whole area. We have cherries that start blooming in early February some years, like this year, and they'll extend all the way sometimes almost to the beginning of May," Lura said.

Lura said a visit to the Arboretum can be a different experience for everyone.

"When you come at any one time, you might find a whole bunch of different ones, you might find just a few. We have tours available to help people understand which ones may be in flower at any given time depending on the season," Lura said.

Lura said the variety is what makes the National Arboretum stand out.

"For diversity, you're never going to find anything close to this anywhere else because there's just so much here to see," he said. "Pretty much all the species we can get ahold of, we try to grow here. It's a lot. It's wonderful."

For more information on the National Arboretum, click here.