Azaleas at the National Arboretum
I absolutely love azaleas at the National Arboretum and this post is mostly an excuse to share the gorgeous photos from my latest visit. The bloom typically has about four strong bloom weeks, depending on local weather in DC, which can fluctuate like crazy! I visited last weekend and had the best time with my family.
About the National Arboretum
The National Arboretum was established in 1927 and is 451 acres large. Just under a million people visit every year. It’s one of my favorite places to experience nature in Washington, DC. There are several different gardens throughout the Arboretum, so there’s a lot to experience besides just the Azaleas. Some of my favorites are the National Bonsai Museum, the National Capital Columns, and the Magnolia Collection, which is part of the Flowering Tree Collection.
Getting to the National Arboretum
The best way to get to the National Arboretum is to bike or drive. The last 10 minutes of your bike ride is not that great (depending on where you bike from) but shouldn’t deter you from biking. If you’re not comfortable on the road, then I suggest you ride on the sidewalk; there is rarely anyone walking around. The great thing about biking is that you can easily get between different destinations within the Arboretum too!
If you are driving, there is plenty of free parking inside the National Arboretum. Occasionally there is spillover parking on the streets.
The National Arboretum is not well connected to public transportation. By metro, you can take the Red Line to NoMa and then bike or Uber from there. It’s a 2 mile walk, otherwise. By bus, the B2 line stops right in front of the main road toward the entrance. I’ve never taken the bus out there to be honest!
The most convenient way to reach the Azaleas at the National Arboretum would be to take an Uber.
Where to see the Azaleas
Azaleas typically bloom in mid-April to mid-May or mid-June, depending on the variety. These pictures are from the last weekend in May 2024. I usually anticipate when to visit the arboretum depending on when I see the shrubs bloom around DC. I visited the Arboretum earlier in May and there were a couple of flowers out but nothing worth taking a picture of.
The most prominent section of azaleas are in the Morrison Garden. There is a staircase up to the built garden, which is already picture-perfect!
The garden is named for B.Y Morrison, who later became the first director of the Arboretum. He was obsessed with azaleas and developed 454 hybrids—these are labeled “Glen Dale Azaleas.” Another azalea obsessed guy Robert Gartrell crossed several hybrids together to try to make hardy, late-blooming azaleas. His hybrids are labeled “Robin Hill.”
If you don’t notice these signs as you walk around, I can’t blame you! The flowers are too gorgeous to look away… Read them here so you don’t need to bother when you visit.
Just look at how these azaleas are so different.
My mom matched the blooms perfectly!
The best blooms are in the Morrison Garden, so be sure to walk back and forth. You can continue on the path through the forest in either direction of the garden, too.
I visited the azaleas at the arboretum with my parents, brother, and cousin! It’s the perfect family activity and can last however long you want. It can take 10 minutes to walk though the garden, or you can spend all day wandering the entire Arboetum. It’s also perfect for a picnic…
Bonus! Bonsai Azaleas
One of the hidden gems of the arboretum during azalea season is the bonsai trees. Head to the Bonsai Museum to check out all these beauties. They look so fake, but I assure you they are not. I was shocked because, as I visited two weeks ago, there were no sign that these bonsais would have blooms. Be sure to check out the Chinese, Japanese, and American sections of the museum.
One of these blooms is an imposter (the bougainvillea), but I’m sure I could have fooled you!