It is a wonderful gift that is over 100 years old now. The 1912 gift from the people of Japan has grown to this 3,800 trees. The cherry blossoms also serve as a symbol of the beginning of springtime. The trees burst with colors of soft pink and white. The blossoming of the cherry blossoms every spring is sort of the great springtime celebration, not only in the District of Columbia but throughout the United States.