Japan is giving Washington 250 new cherry trees to replace those to be lost in construction work
Japan is giving the United States 250 new cherry trees to help replace the hundreds that are being ripped out this summer as construction crews work to repair the crumbling seawall around the capital’s Tidal Basin.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida made the announcement as President Joe Biden welcomed him to the White House on Wednesday for an official visit and state dinner. Biden said the gift is meant to mark the 250th anniversary of the U.S. in 2026, adding, “Like our friendship, these trees are timeless, inspiring and thriving.”
In 1912, first lady Helen Herron Taft and Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese ambassador to the United States, planted two Yoshino cherry trees on the northern bank of the Potomac River’s Tidal Basin. They were part of the 3,000 such trees Japan gave the U.S. in a symbol of the two countries’ friendship.
Why couldn’t they also transplant and save the old trees?
Edit: ok I believe you guys, was just hopeful and curious
As the other commenter already said, it is really hard to transplant old trees. Think about how big tree roots get. There is no way to save 100% of a planted tree's roots so cuts have to be made. And by the time you are able to free the tree from the ground, you've often cut too much of its roots for it to survive.
That plus they also have comparatively shorter lifespans.
It is horrendously difficult to move even a single old tree
Is it? I’ve seen big truck digger attachments and cranes that do exactly that. Maybe they don’t survive it well or are very sensitive or something.
Some species travel better than others! Think a relatively small ball of roots vs a sprawling deep root network.
My area had a wind storm years ago and it was enough to kill most of the oak trees (?) in the area. They can be pretty sensitive to stress.
Trees have a life span and they were getting old already.