Over one million people descend on the Potomac each year to attend the National Cherry Blossom Festival. The trees, not native to the nations capital, were imported by former first lady Helen “Nellie” Taft.
Inspired by her time in the Phillipines, First Lady Taft wanted to create a river park for the public to enjoy. The decision was made to line the Potomac River with Oriental cherry trees. The project was made public and word reached the Japanese government who subsequently offered to donate 2000 trees in the name of Tokyo. This donation reached the United States and to everyone's dismay was found to be infested. Each and every tree had to be burned.
The Mayor of Tokyo sent over an another 3000 trees. These are the specimens that people descend on D.C. to see bloom each year. The first tree was planted together by First Lady Taft and the wife of the Japanese Ambassador in a ceremony that served to strengthen ties between the two nations.
