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Crepe Myrtles are the off-brand cherry blossoms we never knew we needed | Most DC Thing

A beautiful and less-crowded bloom worth checking out at the National Arboretum.

WASHINGTON — Today’s Most D.C. Thing comes courtesy of jshellman18 on Reddit, who posted this picture with the caption, “The crepe myrtles are blooming at the arboretum (far less crowded than cherry blossom season but just as, if not more, beautiful).”

I was today years old when I found out what crepe myrtles are. Crepe myrtles sound like something you can buy from the street vendor next to the guy selling funnel cake out of a cart on the boardwalk. Nothing about that name says “trees” or “flowering blooms.”

These crepe blossoms are indeed very pretty. They are definitely on par with cherry blossoms from a visual standpoint. Plus, they don’t attract crowds. That’s the real selling point. 

You can go see these today, for free, without putting your life in COVID jeopardy or having to interact with annoying tourists. 

You know how much I love “free.” You should, too.

Credit: reddit.com/user/jshellmann18
A Reddit user posted this photo of Crepe Myrtles blooming in D.C.

This is today’s Most D.C. Thing because it highlights a hidden gem in our city. It’s also our Most D.C. Thing because that hidden gem is a cost-effective activity that we can experience safely in the middle of a pandemic. 

So what if they are the Great Value version of cherry blossoms? A free summertime nature experience with no one asking you for directions? Take advantage of that! Get the kids ready and take them to go see these lovely off-brand trees in bloom. Safely, of course.

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