SALT LAKE CITY — Nothing quite says the arrival of spring in Salt Lake City like the blossoming of the famed cherry blossoms on the Utah State Capitol grounds.
“It's a beautiful time of year for families to come and picnic, to take photos together, for wedding photos, graduation photos, and just enjoying the beautiful springtime weather,” said Sandi Archibald, visitor services office manager for the Capitol Preservation Board.
433 Yoshino cherry trees line the Capitol’s memorial walkway and come alive with their blooms in early to mid-April.
"The cherry trees were purchased in 1931 from a nursery in Seattle, Washington, " Archibald explained. "Then, after World War II, Kwanzan cherry trees were gifted to the capital by Japan as a symbol of friendship. The Kwanzan cherry trees were planted on the grounds and lasted for about 50 years."
Those cherry trees were replaced by Yoshino cherry trees that were purchased from a nursery in Portland, Oregon.
“A big tornado came through Salt Lake City and damaged a lot of the trees in 1999, so when the capital went under its restoration from 2004 to 2008 the old Kwanzan cherry trees were taken out,” Archibald added.
For bride-to-be Allison Sherman it wasn’t just the perfect photo spot, but also nostalgic.
"Well, it's beautiful, but also, I was raised for part of my childhood, just outside of Washington, DC, in the Baltimore area," Sherman said. "And we always love to go and look at them. And it just kind of has memories for that too."
Austin Rupp, a local photographer, says the cherry blossoms are a great portrait backdrop, but timing is important.
"I had a model here earlier, and we were taking advantage of the beautiful blossoms today, trying to get some different portrait photography," Rupp said. "It's a fun challenge to try and come shoot the cherry blossoms, because it's easy and you could miss them if you're too late."
If you want to take some photos or stroll under the cherry trees, make sure to visit soon.
"In Japan, the symbolism of the Yoshino cherry tree is impermanence of life," Archibald said. "Because they do bloom for only about 10 to 14 days"
