I'm your ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-cherry blossom guide!
It's a cherry blossom special y'all! 🌸 🌸 🌸
Nothing makes New Yorkers go absolutely feral like having a couple Springy days pop up after literal weeks of grey rainy skies. As of this newsletter’s publishing, we’ve had 3(!) 9/10 weather days back to back and the vibes are decidedly good around here. And since folks are going all in on Spring, I have not been able to open social media without seeing dreamy videos of the upcoming cherry blossom season that will befall NYC in a couple weeks. Do people actually know the history of cherry blossom trees or do they just like to take photos for the ‘gram? Either way, cherry blossom sites around NYC become absolutely swarmed as folks try to catch a glimpse of the short-lived blooms.
They say if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em so I’m going to give you the Eden Cherry Blossom Guide. I’ll talk a little about the history of cherry blossom trees in NYC and give you some tips for enjoying the blooms. I want to be clear that there is no secret way to magically see cherry blossom trees without crowds (unless you go at night?), but I’ll discuss some viewing sites and at least let you know what to expect. Be sure to bookmark this bitch!
And since this issue is a special edish, it’s free for everyone! If you like what you read today and want to become a paid subscriber, that would be very awesome. But I’d be equally happy if you share this with a friend because the only thing better than seeing the cherry blossoms is making a day of it and seeing them with a friend 😊🌸
What are cherry blossom trees?
If you’ve ever watched a single anime, you’ve very likely seen dramatic scenes in which pink petals float around the characters:
The Japanese name for the cherry blossom is Sakura and it’s one of Japan’s national flowers. In addition to just being cute AF, the cherry blossom holds a much deeper meaning. Because the tree have such a short bloom time (roughly end of March to May), they’ve come to symbolize the transient nature of life. The Japanese dubbed this feeling mono-no aware, a deep realization that nothing lasts forever so we should take the time to hold that sadness and appreciate the current moment. It is quite literally the YOLO flower.
Sakura are so beloved in Japan that they have a practice called Hanami. It literally means “flower viewing” but it’s come to specifically mean Sakura viewing. Folks have little Hanami parties and stroll along the cherry esplanades with friends or have picnics under the trees. So before we talk about how to have a lil NYC Hanami sesh, let’s learn how cherry blossom trees even made it over to us.
How did the cherry trees reach NYC?
In 1912, over 5,000 sakura (cherry) trees were gifted from Japan to the U.S. as a symbol of lasting friendship between the two countries. 2,000 of them made their way to NY (most went to Washington DC) and the first shipment was either lost at sea or destroyed by an insect and nematode infestation, depending on where you’re getting your info (truly, I didn’t make that up). Me, I believe in the nematode theory.
Japan sent a second shipment and those trees were mostly planted in Upper Manhattan around Riverside Park and in an area later renamed Sakura Park. Japan would periodically send over more trees as gifts and soon NYC would have cherry trees scattered all about. You can use NYC Parks’ sort of janky tree map to find any tree around the city, including the various cherry trees! Or you could use the special Eden Cherry Blossom map that’s linked at the end of this newsletter….😉
Types of Cherry Trees
I promise I’ll get to where to see the damn trees soon, but first you need to know that there are different types!
The fluffy pink guys (top right) that are probably your default image of a cherry tree are the Kwanzan variety; these were part of that original 1912 shipment from Japan. They’re like the shark mouth of flowers - instead of multiple rows of teeth they have multiple layers of petals. Because their petals are so light and abundant, these are often the ones you see floating daintily in the wind. Their bloom time is pretty unpredictable, so you’ll want to keep an eye on the bloom maps (below).
The less fluffy pink blooms (bottom left) are from Okame trees. Something unique about this variety is that the flowers cover nearly the entirety of the branches, rather than just clustering near the ends. They also have the longest bloom, so you have a better chance of seeing these. Their leaves also stick around and change color through the seasons, so the Okame trees may be the real MVP.
Higan trees have light pink or white flowers and their branches droop over like a Weeping Willow. They tend to hold onto their blooms a bit longer, as well. These trees also stick around through later seasons after they lose their blooms and they’ll be lush and green in the summer and then turn your classic autumn colors.
Yoshino trees have adorable little white flowers are were also part of that OG gift from Japan. They tend to flower right before the Kwanzan trees, so if you’re lucky you can get a back to back of the big fluffy pink flowers and then the cute lil white ones.
As an aside, Magnolia trees sort of look like cherry trees, but they are not the same thing. Their blooms, while also white or pink, are generally larger and form a flower teacup kinda shape. While researching for this newsletter I found a ton of articles that mistakenly printed photos of magnolia trees and my god, the secondhand embarrassment I felt for them. NYC actually has a ton of magnolia trees (especially on residential blocks) and they bloom around the same time as the cherries. The magnolias stick around for a while, usually until strong winds or rain cause them to finally fall off. Don’t get me wrong, magnolias are beautiful, but they’re a different plant, so don’t be a fool and know your tree!
For the love of god, where can I see the trees?
I’ll link to a bunch of resources that’ll give you these details, but you’re here for my witty commentary, right? I’ll go over some of the popular spots, but also some more lowkey spots that might make for a less stressful Hanami.
1. Brooklyn Botanic Garden
I’m a big an of the BBG and have written about it multiple times. Their Cherry Esplanade is definitely one of the nicest spots to catch literal rows upon rows of Kwanzan trees. Their Japanese Garden also has a nice variety of trees scattered throughout, including the droopy Higan ones. But because of this, the BBG tends to get nuts when the cherries are a-bloomin’. I attended their Cherry Blossom Festival pre-pandemic and it was cool, but the place was so packed it was impossible to get a photo of a single tree without having 15 other people trying to take photos in the background. They haven’t done a Cherry Blossom Festival in a bit and this year it looks like they’re offering ticketed Hanami Nights and will have the trees lit up along with food vendors and entertainment.
TL;DR - BBG is absolutely beautiful, but it will be crowded. Proceed with caution.
2. Central Park
Central Park has different varieties of cherry trees in a few different locations. And because Central Park is freakin huge, you’ve got a bit more room to breathe. Will someone be hogging the prime spots to take their engagement photos? Absolutely, yes. But just wait a bit or walk to another section of the park. There’s so much else to see while you’re walking around that there’s truly no lost time.
My favorite spots are the east and west sides of the reservoir. On the west side you’ll see the fluffy Kwanzan trees amidst a backdrop of some of the best architecture in the city; I never get tired of having a building as beautiful as the El Dorado contrasting the “natural” features of the park. The east side has a long thoroughfare of the white Yoshino trees that you can walk under and literally feel like you’re in heaven. I feel like this side gets a bit less crowded since people prefer the pink blossoms.
3. Sakura and Riverside Parks
These parks have that original shipment of trees from Japan, though some have obviously been replanted since then. Riverside Park was actually designed by the same team behind Central Park (Olmstead & Vaux). It’s a long skinny fella with a lovely 4 mile cluster of cherry trees right on the Hudson River. Near the northern tip of Riverside Park and next to Grant’s Tomb is Sakura Park, which is quite literally a square of land filled to the brim with cherry trees, mostly the white Yoshino variety.
While this is a pretty well known location, it tends to be a bit out of the way for tourists so it doesn’t get as crowded at BBG, for example. It’s honestly worth a trip there just so you can continue walking north afterwards and pass through the beautiful City College campus and maybe even continue to Ft Tryon Park and The Cloisters.
4. Roosevelt Island
I first ventured to Rosevelt Island last year the day after I got laid off and I had myself a magical-ass time. I tell everyone I meet that they should take a trip there, but I am telling you right now that cherry blossom season is not that time. Roosevelt Island is tiny and on top of naturally suffering from infrastructure issues due to them being a fuckin island, they’re currently dealing with no F train stopping there and either driving or the Tram being the only options on/off the island. Residents are not having a good time right now and the last thing they need is more people crowding their little slice of paradise to look at some trees.
Yes, you should visit Roosevelt Island. You should ride the Tram! And you should hang out on the southern end of the island that has lovely waterfront views and the only landmarked ruin in NYC, which is both beautiful and creepy. But you should do these things some other time.
5. Flushing Meadows Corona Park
I love Corona Park and maintain that it is one of the best utilized parks in the city. It also contains so much history and amazing remnants of the Worlds Fairs, so there are lots of fun easter eggs to be found. Leading up to the Unisphere is a lovely path of the little pink Okame cherry trees. Does everyone take a picture of them framing the Unisphere? Yes. Should you? Fuck yeah, live your life.
You could easily spend hours wandering this park and I recommend that you do. There’s lots of space here and while the park is always full of people, it only ever feels crowded during Queens Night Market. Visit the Queens Museum while you’re there or take a guided tour to learn more about the history of the park. Flushing is a short subway or bus ride away and in addition to getting some delicious food, you can also see a couple cherry trees outside the Lewis Latimer House Museum.
6. Greenwood Cemetery
Bet you never thought to enjoy the scenery in a cemetery! Greenwood is so beautifully landscaped that you’ll truly forget you’re walking through a graveyard. It’s a National Historic Landmark and is literally known for its variety of plants throughout the ground - including cherry trees! You’ll find both the Kwanzan and Yoshino trees scattered throughout the grounds. There is a concentration of trees on Battle Hill and Valley Water where the 1776 “Battle of Brooklyn” is commemorated. Make sure you also visit the Minerva Statue and wave hello to her friend in the Hudson River.
Similar to Central Park though, there’s really no wrong way to experience the landscape of Greenwood. It’s a bit off the beaten path for tourists and it’s a very large area so you won’t run into too many crowds. The contrast of the beautiful trees with the mausoleums and statues in the cemetery is also really striking. What better place for sakura trees to live then in a cemetery, where they force us to literally come face to face with the transience of life?
After exploring the cemetery, take a walk over to Sunset Park, the actual park in Sunset Park. It’s elevation offers amazing views of the city and I guarantee you there will be good vendors nearby selling street food.
Links and Other Resources
There are a ton of other places to see cherry blossoms around the city and I simply could not go over all of them without making this newsletter a mile long. Check out some of these lists, watch the videos, and let me know if you have any questions about how or where to see the sakura trees. I’m always just a little bit too early or too late to see peak blooms every year, so here’s hoping 2024 is my time 🤞
Eden’s Sakura Map - I made a Google map that pins every location of Sakura trees in NYC! Don’t say I never did anything for ya.
Upcoming Events
NYC Parks is offering a free Forest Bathing session on Friday March 15 in Riverside Park. The program includes a short, no more than a half-mile walk at a slow pace and you might be able to catch some early cherry blooms nearby!
I love Yaya Tea and one of their signature boba drinks is named the Period Pad. In celebration of Women’s History Month, they’re donating this month’s online proceeds to an organization of your choice! Head to their Instagram to vote and stop by one of their shops to try the tasty drink.
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is celebrating the 1,000th Wordle this Friday March 15 with @nytgames! NYT is offering prizes inspired by past Wordle solves, whatever that means. On Friday, March 15, show BBG your solve of the 1,000th Wordle for free admission!
Farm to People and Clean Bushwick Initiative are teaming up to host a Repair Fest this Saturday March 16. Folks will be on hand to help you mend clothing items and you’ll also be able to learn and try mending for yourself!
One of my favorite candle makers, Baisun, will be at a Friendship Market this weekend in Brooklyn. Baisun makes Asian inspired candle scents and their white rice candle smells just like the real thing - it is my favorite scent.
I’ve been meaning to sign up for a hike with Outsiders and it looks like they have one coming up on March 23! They take care of transportation from the city to the hiking site and also make a stop for drinks/dinner afterwards. The whole shebang costs $84, which feels like a pretty good deal for the convenience!
I hope you enjoyed this very special edition of Big City, Little Friend! Please share this guide with friends, enemies, whoever you’d like. If you spot some pretty blooms in the coming weeks, tag me on Instagram, I want to see!
And thank you to folks who sent me recommendations for Las Vegas. If you have any must-sees/must-dos please let me know. I’ll also be taking a day trip to Zion National Park, so baby trail recommendations or good food nearby are welcome. We might miss one newsletter around the end of March pending how well I manage my time, so we’ll see!
Finally, a very important poll for you:
I secretly want to leave the TSA pre check-less companion, but politeness wins out and I always go with them in the regular line. I do think it's funny when the TSA agents see I have pre-check and they give me "you're such a good person" smile, haha