The flower buds on North Park’s Japanese cherry trees began to swell in late March, and an event to take in their short-lived beauty is scheduled for the first Saturday in April.
The Pittsburgh Sakura Project will host its annual cherry blossom viewing event from 2 to 4 p.m. April 5 at the Harmony Shelter, which is not far from the boathouse and close to the lake.
In Japanese, “sakura” translates to cherry blossom. It can refer to the tree and its flowers, a symbol of spring and the fleeting nature of life.
The project has been planting trees in the park since 2009, beginning with 40 that were expected to take about 10 years to mature. Another half-dozen have been added each year since, near the park boathouse, along Lakeshore Drive and in other locations in the park.
The trees, now numbering between 200 and 300, are a tribute to Allegheny County’s Japanese community.
The trees begin to bloom about a week behind those in the nation’s capital, said Carol Tenny of Fox Chapel, a member of the Pittsburgh Sakura Project board.
“It’s our little-known secret,” Tenny said. “You don’t have to go to Washington, D.C. We have our own little groves around the lake.”
The varieties at North Park blossom between mid- to late March and late April.
According to a March 20 update on the project’s website, the flower buds had begun to swell. The earliest blossoms were expected to open from late March to early April, so the trees are expected to be blooming by the April 5 event.
During the event, members of the Pittsburgh Sakura Project will provide tours of the groves, a demonstration of how they care for the trees and refreshments. Japanese culture also will be on display.
“We would like to invite the Pittsburgh community to come celebrate the beauty of the cherry blossoms,” Tenny said.