UW Cherry Blossom Virtual Tour
Spring means one thing on the University of Washington campus: cherry blossom season. This virtual tour highlights some of the cherry trees on campus, including the iconic blossoms in the Quad.
(Scroll to start the tour)
Yoshino cherry
Yoshino cherry. Click to expand.
The 29 iconic Yoshino cherry (prunus x yedoensis) trees in the University of Washington’s Quad are about 88 years old and healthy. Clones of the Quad trees can be found elsewhere on campus (and in this virtual tour). The biggest cherry tree in the Quad measures more than 47 feet tall and nearly 4 feet in diameter.
Cherry plum
Cherry plum. Click to expand.
The cherry plum (prunus cerasifera) trees outside of the south entrance to the Quad are the early signal to the UW campus that spring is on its way. These trees typically bloom before their Yoshino neighbors.
'Hisakura'
'Hisakura'. Click to expand.
The Hisakura cherry (prunus serrulata) trees that stand between Gerberding Hall and Suzzallo Library typically bloom a couple weeks after the Yoshino ones in the Quad, and they do so in a vibrant pink hue. On a clear spring day, they frame Rainier Vista and Drumheller Fountain perfectly. This is the only place this species resides on campus.
'Kwanzan'
'Kwanzan'. Click to expand.
These Japanese cherry (prunus serrulata) trees sprinkled in the grass between Mary Gates Hall and Johnson Hall are (on average) about 28 feet tall.
'Shirofugen'
'Shirofugen'. Click to expand.
Cherry trees — unlike plums — have distinct horizontal-line patterns on their bark called lenticels. These help the trees “exhale” or release carbon dioxide and water. These Shirofugen (prunus serrulata) trees were donated by the Japanese Consulate a few years ago.
Black cherry
Black cherry. Click to expand.
The single black cherry (prunus serotina) tree near West Stevens Way is far from the only tree of its kind on campus (more north of East Stevens Way and south of NE 45th St), but it is the biggest in diameter — measuring 2.5 feet around. It's the third tallest black cherry tree on campus at 63 feet tall.
Bitter cherry
Bitter cherry. Click to expand.
There are many bitter cherry (prunus emarginata) trees spread throughout campus, but this one is the tallest at 60 feet. More of this species can be found more north near Williams Gates Hall (School of Law) and the Burke Museum.
Sargent's cherry
Sargent's cherry. Click to expand.
The Sargent's cherry (prunus sargentii) trees hug a few of the UW's various engineering buildings (More Hall, Bill & Melinda Gates Center, Mechanical Engineering Building). They aren't the ones that line East Stevens Way (those are Silverbells and Pin Oaks).
'Akebono'
'Akebono'. Click to expand.
The Akebono Yoshino cherry (prunus x yedoensis) trees scattered around Parrington Lawn are genetically identical to their much larger counterparts to the southeast — they are clones to the famous trees in the Quad.
Yoshino cherry
The 29 iconic Yoshino cherry (prunus x yedoensis) trees in the University of Washington’s Quad are about 88 years old and healthy. Clones of the Quad trees can be found elsewhere on campus (and in this virtual tour). The biggest cherry tree in the Quad measures more than 47 feet tall and nearly 4 feet in diameter.
Cherry plum
The cherry plum (prunus cerasifera) trees outside of the south entrance to the Quad are the early signal to the UW campus that spring is on its way. These trees typically bloom before their Yoshino neighbors.
'Hisakura'
The Hisakura cherry (prunus serrulata) trees that stand between Gerberding Hall and Suzzallo Library typically bloom a couple weeks after the Yoshino ones in the Quad, and they do so in a vibrant pink hue. On a clear spring day, they frame Rainier Vista and Drumheller Fountain perfectly. This is the only place this species resides on campus.
'Kwanzan'
These Japanese cherry (prunus serrulata) trees sprinkled in the grass between Mary Gates Hall and Johnson Hall are (on average) about 28 feet tall.
'Shirofugen'
Cherry trees — unlike plums — have distinct horizontal-line patterns on their bark called lenticels . These help the trees “exhale” or release carbon dioxide and water. These Shirofugen (prunus serrulata) trees were donated by the Japanese Consulate a few years ago.
Black cherry
The single black cherry (prunus serotina) tree near West Stevens Way is far from the only tree of its kind on campus (more north of East Stevens Way and south of NE 45th St), but it is the biggest in diameter — measuring 2.5 feet around. It's the third tallest black cherry tree on campus at 63 feet tall.
Bitter cherry
There are many bitter cherry (prunus emarginata) trees spread throughout campus, but this one is the tallest at 60 feet. More of this species can be found more north near Williams Gates Hall (School of Law) and the Burke Museum.
Sargent's cherry
The Sargent's cherry (prunus sargentii) trees hug a few of the UW's various engineering buildings (More Hall, Bill & Melinda Gates Center, Mechanical Engineering Building). They aren't the ones that line East Stevens Way (those are Silverbells and Pin Oaks).
'Akebono'
The Akebono Yoshino cherry (prunus x yedoensis) trees scattered around Parrington Lawn are genetically identical to their much larger counterparts to the southeast — they are clones to the famous trees in the Quad.
Special thanks to UW Facilities' Business Innovation and Technology unit and UW arborist Sara Shores and her team of students for the data that accompanies this tour.