Washington cherry blossoms expected early

Washington's cherry trees are expected to blossom much earlier this year, starting as soon as March 22, experts said. The average peak bloom date for the city's 100-year-old Yoshino cherry trees is around April 4, the Los Angeles Times reported. The peak of the bloom period is defined as when at least 70 percent of the trees around the Tidal Basin near the Jefferson Memorial will be blooming. Rob DeFeo, chief horticulturist at the National Park Service, predicted Thursday the fragrant pink blossoms would begin to show as early as March 22. The peak bloom is expected between March 24 and 31. DeFeo and his team have been monitoring the buds in five stages of development of the trees, which were a gift from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo in 1912, the park service's Web site states. Regardless of when the peak is, the National Cherry Blossom Festival will run from March 20 to April 27, with events scheduled throughout Washington, including an annual parade, set for April 14.