DULLES, Va. — Thirty cherry trees will be planted at a DMV airport and two area high schools as a part of the National Cherry Blossom Festival's "Tree Planting Program."
The planting of the trees is symbolic of the international friendship between Japan and the U.S.
“Even though there are almost 7,000 miles between Tokyo and D.C., these trees bring us closer together,” said Diana Mayhew, president and CEO of the National Cherry Blossom Festival.
The program has been a cornerstone for the Festival community outreach efforts to expand the joy of the trees. Including the 30 newly planted trees, 150 cherry trees will have been planted across the DMV region through the program.
The Yoshino, Okame and Kwanzan trees are four or more years old at the time of the planting and may be mature enough to flower this spring. Ideally, the trees can grow up to 30 feet tall.
Twenty of the trees will be at the Dulles International Airport (IAD) in Dulles, Virginia, five will be planted at Northwestern High School in Hyattsville, Maryland and the last five will grow at Oakton High School in Vienna, Virginia. The schools were selected because they have Japanese language programs.
“Dulles International Airport is a gateway that bridges the U.S. and Japan, and we are excited for those flying into the D.C. area to experience the magic of the cherry trees,” said Toshio Nomura, executive vice president, The Americas, of All Nippon Airways (ANA). “In addition, we are thrilled to bring the trees to high school students who appreciate the beauty of the Japanese culture through the study of our language.”
Three ceremonies will also be held in honor of the plantings, with representatives from the National Cherry Blossom Festival, ANA, and the Embassy of Japan attending and placing a commemorative plaque at the tree sites.