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13 Best Places to See Saucer Magnolias in Washington DC

ByValerie Moore
A magnolia tree covered in pink and white blossoms stands in front of the Smithsonian Institution’s red sandstone castle. The tree’s vibrant colors pop against the deep blue sky, while the historic architecture adds an elegant backdrop.

DC has some beautiful saucer magnolias, which bloom usually about a week before cherry blossom peak bloom at the Tidal Basin. As someone who loves flowers and has lived in DC for over 17 years, I love when they are in bloom, and know where to see saucer magnolias in DC. They are one of my favorites, because you have clouds of pale pink flowers towering above you.

A lot of times, tourists will confuse the saucer magnolias with cherry blossoms, and while they do look different, it’s easy to understand why: many of the saucer magnolias have a beautiful shade of pink, you can find them on the Mall and not far from the Tidal Basin, and they are so beautiful that they make you stop in your tracks. For people traveling to see the beautiful pink cherry blossoms, it makes sense that they would get confused.

A close-up of pink and white magnolia blossoms, their delicate petals opening against a background of dark branches and a clear blue sky. The flowers are in full bloom, showing intricate details and a soft gradient of color.

You’re likely to see sauce magnolias throughout the city, but there are 13 places in particular that have beautiful groves of saucer magnolias, so that you can be surrounded by them. These are the best spots to see saucer magnolias in DC.

Smithsonian Castle’s Enid A. Haupt Garden

A wide view of the Smithsonian Institution Building, known as the Castle, with lush gardens and blooming magnolia trees in the foreground. Visitors stroll along the walkways, admiring the vibrant spring landscape.

This is the most popular spot to enjoy the saucer magnolias. They line the formal garden behind the Smithsonian Castle, and are also spread out through the connecting gardens. They are large, beautiful trees with tons of blooms.

A large magnolia tree covered in pink blossoms stands in front of the Smithsonian Institution Building, also known as the Castle. The building’s red sandstone towers rise against a vibrant blue sky, complementing the floral beauty in the foreground.

It’s a strikingly beautiful view, with the red brick of the Smithsonian Castle contrasting against the flowers.

A stunning view of pink magnolia trees in full bloom, framing the Washington Monument in the background. The bright blue sky provides a vibrant contrast to the delicate blossoms, creating a classic springtime scene in Washington, D.C.

You can also see the Washington Monument framed by the flowers in certain spots.

This spot can get very crowded. It’s popular for photographs from locals, and being right on the Mall, it gets plenty of visits from tourists. Your best bet is to visit in the morning if you want a peaceful experience, though you can find a bit of solitude if you wander around. There are also plenty of benches to sit and take in the beauty.

Location: Enid A. Haupt Garden, 1050 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC
Located on the side of the Smithsonian Castle away from the National Mall
Closest metro: Smithsonian (blue/orange/silver)

Grand Army of the Republic Memorial

A stately historic building with a red roof and ornate stone detailing rises above a grove of blooming magnolia trees, with modern office buildings behind it under a clear blue sky.

The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) Memorial is located across the street from the Archives metro station.

The memorial is located in a plaza that used to be where Indiana Avenue, C Street, and 7th Street NW met. Today, C Street has been pedestrianized, and the plaza is popular during good weather due to its central location.

Argentine Naval Attaché and National Council of Negro Women buildings provide a pretty backdrop to the blooms.

A curved stone bench lined with decorative spheres runs through a blooming grove of magnolia trees, with city buildings and people in the background enjoying the spring setting.

The GAR Memorial is surrounded by stone benches, which spring flowers such as hyacinths, daffodils, and tulips in the garden beds underneath the canopy of saucer magnolia trees.

The Grand Army of the Republic Memorial stands at the center of a plaza framed by pink magnolia trees in full bloom. People stroll and admire the scene, with daffodils and hyacinths just starting to emerge in the flower beds.

GAR was a fraternal organization for those who fought in the Civil War, with local posts similar to today’s VFW or American Legion. My great-great-great grandfather was very active with his local GAR, and has a GAR marker on his grave. It was a big part of many veterans’ lives. Today, it is largely forgotten, having disbanded after its last member died in 1956.

Location: Grand Army of the Republic Memorial, 699 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC
Closest metro: Across the street from Archives/Navy Memorial (yellow/green) or 7 minute walk from Gallery Place/Chinatown (red/yellow/green)

John Marshall Park

A paved path framed by pink magnolia trees stretches through John Marshall Park, with steps leading up to it and a person walking in the distance. A nearby construction lift hints at ongoing building work.

Not far from the Grand Army of the Republic Memorial is John Marshall Park, also located in a park that used to by a city street (4th Street NW). Walk two blocks down C Street NW and you will reach John Marshall Park, and be greeted by a walkway lined with saucer magnolias.

While the GAR Memorial is a very popular location for photos and people taking in the beauty of the saucer magnolias, John Marshall Park is less popular if you want to get away from the crowds.

There are saucer magnolias planted on both the east and the west side of the park. However, the trees on the east side are not as full, and the west side (along the Canadian embassy) is better for blooms.

There’s also a small grove of four trees in the grassy area if you want to have a picnic beneath the blooms. However, these are younger trees and don’t have as full of a canopy as the ones over the benches.

A magnolia tree heavy with pale pink blossoms stands in front of a white modern building, while a field of daffodils in full bloom fills the foreground, signaling early spring.

Similar to the ones at the GAR Memorial, the flower beds are full of spring flowers.

The park is located near the DC courthouse and Marriage Bureau, making it a beautiful option for signing your DC self-uniting marriage certificate if you are having a courthouse wedding without an officiant.

Location: John Marshall Park, 400 C Street NW, Washington, DC
Closest metro: 5 minute walk from Judiciary Square (red) or 7 minute walk from Archives/Navy Memorial (yellow/green)

Young magnolia trees with emerging pink buds are planted in neat rows on a green lawn near the fountains outside the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Cars are parked along the curb, and people stroll in the background, enjoying the early signs of spring.

At the 4th Street entrance of the National Gallery of Art, there is a plaza that serves as an above-ground connection from the main museum to the East Wing’s modern and contemporary art collection. Here, the plaza is lined on both sides with several rows of saucer magnolias.

Because they are shaded, they bloom later than the other saucer magnolias. If you are too late for the saucer magnolias at the Smithsonian gardens, head over here to see if these are blooming.

Location: National Gallery of Art (4th Street Entrance), 150 4th Street NW, Washington, DC
Closest metro: 10 minute walk from Archives/Navy Memorial (yellow/green), 10 minute walk from Judiciary Square (red), or 15 minute walk from Smithsonian (blue/orange/silver)

George Mason Memorial

A picturesque springtime view of the Washington Monument framed by bright pink magnolia blossoms and vivid yellow forsythia bushes. A reflecting pool and cityscape are visible in the background, with a tour bus parked nearby.

The George Mason Memorial is an often forgotten memorial. Just south of the Tidal Basin, it pays tribute to one of the country’s Founding Fathers.

serene park scene with magnolia trees in full bloom, their pink blossoms contrasting against the clear blue sky. In the foreground, an empty circular fountain sits surrounded by green grass and paved walkways. A group of people in bright clothing stands in the distance, admiring the scenery.

Around the outside of the memorial are large saucer magnolia trees. If you are sitting on the benches at the memorial, you’ll see them with bright yellow forsythia blooming in front of them, giving you a true sense of spring.

The memorial is probably one of the least visited near the National Mall. You’re likely to have it mostly to yourself. It’s a quick walk from the Jefferson Memorial.

Location: George Mason Memorial, 900 Ohio Drive SW, Washington, DC
Located on the side of the Smithsonian Castle away from the National Mall
Closest metro: 20-25 min walk from either Smithsonian (blue/orange/silver) or L’Enfant Plaza (blue/orange/silver/yellow/green)

Rawlins Park

A bronze statue of John A. Rawlins stands tall on a stone pedestal in a park, surrounded by blooming pink magnolia trees. The engraved name “RAWLINS” is visible on the base, and early spring blossoms fill the background with vibrant color.

The 1.5-acre Rawlins Park is situated in a sea of office buildings and border by the George Washington University campus. In the summer, visitors can enjoy the fountains, but in early spring, the park comes alive with clouds of pink sauce magnolias blooms.

Rawlins Park is beautiful because the saucer magnolias are planted close enough to each other that the flowering canopies blend into one another through much of the park.

A row of benches lines a stone pathway under a canopy of blooming pink and white magnolia trees at Rawlins Park. The flowers fill the scene, arching over the walkway with delicate petals, creating a peaceful, tunnel-like view.

The park has four rows of benches underneath the blooming branches of the saucer magnolias. It’s a nice spot to eat your breakfast or lunch if the weather is nice. Although not far from the E Street Expressway entrance, it is pretty quiet on weekends without the commuter traffic.

A wide view of Rawlins Park during magnolia season, with dozens of blooming pink magnolia trees surrounding a paved plaza and reflecting pool. People stroll, sit, and take photos under the blossoms, enjoying the spring scenery.

Rawlins Park can get crowded during sauce magnolia peak bloom, with lots of people there to admire them and take professional photos. While it’s never as crowded as the cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin, if you are looking to take photographs without people in the background, you may want to visit Edward R. Murrow Park or Layfette Park a few blocks away instead.

Location: Rawlins Park, 1800 E Street NW, Washington, DC
Closest metro: 15 min walk from Farragut West (blue/orange/silver) or Farragut North (red)

Edward R. Murrow Park

Pink magnolia blossoms frame a tranquil scene at Edward R Murrow Park, where a person relaxes on a bench beneath the blooming trees. Modern glass buildings rise in the background, contrasting with the soft, natural spring colors.

Edward R. Murrow Park is a smaller triangle park a few blocks away from Rawlins Park that has saucer magnolia trees lining the walkway. Most magnolia-hunters are at Rawlins Park, so it’s a bit more solitary (though you still won’t be the only person there). It’s worth going to both while you are here.

A row of blooming magnolia trees lines a pathway at Edward R Murrow Park, creating a pink canopy above park benches and streetlamps. A few people stroll or pause to admire the blossoms, capturing the calm energy of spring in the city.

You can sit under the pink canopy on one of the benches, or sit at one of the picnic tables and admire the view.

The block is split in two by Pennsylvania Avenue. Both have saucer magnolias, with the park on the northwest side blooming earlier than the park on the southwest side. On the southwest side, the park gets more shade due to the IMF building, delaying the blooms. This means that if you are on the tail end of peak bloom, you can go here and still see blooms at at least one of the parks.

Location: Edward R Murrow Park, 1872 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC
Closest metro: 5 min walk from Farragut West (blue/orange/silver) or 10 minute walk from Farragut North (red)

Lafayette Square

People gather beneath blooming pink magnolia trees in Lafayette Park, with the General Tadeusz Kościuszko Statue and nearby buildings visible in the background. The branches overhead are bursting with fresh blossoms, framing the lively park scene.

I will be honest: I would not include Lafayette Park on this list if it wasn’t a few blocks from Rawlins Park.

It does have saucer magnolia trees, but they are not as densely planted as the other spots on this list. However, while you are visiting Rawlins Park and Edward R Murrow Park, you should go check out Lafayette Square.

A close-up view of magnolia branches filled with pink and white blossoms in Lafayette Park, with the White House faintly visible in the background through leafless trees. Park benches and people walking add a calm, early spring vibe.

You do get a view of the White House with the saucer magnolias, and if you are visiting DC and stopping by the White House, it’s easy to tack on.

A blooming pink magnolia tree stands beside the yellow facade of St. John's Church in Washington, D.C., with its white steeple and golden dome catching the light. A blue sign out front welcomes visitors with service times, and city buildings rise in the background, including one draped with a large banner reading “It’s Better in a Union.”

Across H Street from Lafayette Square sits St. John’s Church, where every president since James Madison has worshipped. They have a beautiful saucer magnolia tree as well.

Location: Lafayette Square, 1601 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC
Closest metro: 3-5 min walk from McPherson Square (blue/orange/silver), Farragut West (blue/orange/silver), or Farragut North (red)

Bryce Park

Benches circle a shady clearing in Bryce Park under blooming magnolia trees. The soft pink blossoms contrast with the bare tree trunks and filtered sunlight, creating a quiet, peaceful spot perfect for springtime lounging.

This smaller, tiered park near the National Cathedral has two circular pathways lined with benches and saucer magnolias. You can sit in the shade of the blooms. While on two busy roads (at the intersection of Massachusetts and Wisconsin Avenues), the park itself is not overly busy, and you’re likely to find a bench without a problem.

A large magnolia tree full of bright pink blooms stands tall in Bryce Park, with the stone towers of Washington National Cathedral peeking through bare branches in the background. The sky is a brilliant blue, giving the scene a fresh spring glow.

The main landscaping of the park is definitely the saucer magnolias, and there isn’t a lot of other landscaping around.

If you want to see more spring flowers, the Bishop’s Garden at the National Cathedral is a quick walk away. I wouldn’t suggest Bishop’s Garden for viewing saucer magnolias, though, as there is really only of note nearby. It does have some cherry blossom trees that may be in bloom at the same time as the magnolias, though.

Location: Bryce Park, 3700 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC
Closest metro: None

Georgetown University Hospital

A large magnolia tree in full bloom sits on a sloped lawn near a red-brick building with white columns and a cupola, the Georgetown University medical school. The soft pink blossoms contrast with the deep green grass and bright blue sky.

Along the street at Georgetown University Hospital, you’ll find saucer magnolias lining the sidewalk. It’s a beautiful walk from 38th Street NW to Glover Park, with the trees lining the south side of the street along the hospital grounds.

The trees on the south side of the street along the hospital bloom 5-7 days after the ones at the Smithsonian gardens due to being shaded by the hospital buildings.

A sidewalk runs alongside a busy street under an arch of pink and white magnolia blossoms. Pedestrians in the distance enjoy the warm, sunny day as cars pass by, framed by layers of blooming trees.

Between 38th and 39th Streets, there are also saucer magnolias planted on the north side of the street. There are also some Okame cherry blossom trees planted in the tree boxes, so if you get there at the beginning of peak bloom, you can see the magnolia blooms mixed with the cherry blossoms.

While it’s beautiful, I wouldn’t say it’s peaceful. Reservoir Road has a lot of traffic every day of the week. However, it’s a nice walk, and if you want more peace and quiet, you can get on the Glover Archibald Trail at the end of the magnolias and feel like you’re a world away.

Location: Georgetown University Hospital, 3800 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC
Closest metro: None

Dumbarton Oaks

Famous for its formal gardens, you can find a number of saucer magnolias here. They are primarily along the Box Walk.

Unlike the other locations, Dumbarton Oaks charges an entrance fee. Visitors must purchase a timed ticket online (no purchases at the gate), and during the spring, they sell out in advance. You’ll want to plan ahead.

Location: Dumbarton Oaks, 3101 R Street NW, Washington, DC
Closest metro: 30 minute walk from Dupont Circle (red)

Oak Hill Cemetery

A vibrant grove of blooming magnolia trees lines the center of Oak Hill Cemetery, with small garden structures and signage visible among the greenery.

Situated near Dumbarton Oaks, the historic Oak Hill Cemetery has large, mature saucer magnolias lining some of the pathways. These are some of the tallest ones in the list, and you can see their pink blooms from far away.

A tall green wrought-iron fence runs along a brick sidewalk, with blooming pink magnolia trees rising behind it under a clear blue sky. The fence casts long shadows, adding texture and contrast to the bright spring morning.

If you walk along R Street, you’ll find the saucer magnolias spilling out over the wrought iron fence, creating a beautiful sight.

They do have more limited hours, so be sure to check before you go.

Location: Oak Hill Cemetery, 3001 R Street NW, Washington, DC
Closest metro: 20 minute walk from Dupont Circle (red)

National Arboretum

A peaceful garden scene featuring a wooden bench under a sprawling magnolia tree with bright pink blossoms. Yellow daffodils bloom in the grass below, while lush greenery fills the background, evoking a tranquil and inviting atmosphere.

The National Arboretum has a grove called the Magnolia Collection, and it is a lovely setting. It’s the most peaceful setting of the 3, being in the middle of the Arboretum, with a few benches for you to sit and take in the beauty around you.

It has more varieties of saucer magnolias than other spots. While the Smithsonian and George Mason Memorial have the lovely pink varieties, since the Arboretum is a research facility for the US Department of Agriculture, they have planted different types.

You’ll see a variety of colors, petal sizes, and bloom times at the Arboretum. If you miss the blooms elsewhere, check out here to see if there are any still in bloom.

A vibrant magnolia tree in full bloom, covered in deep pink blossoms, stands against a clear blue sky. In the foreground, a sign reading "Holly & Magnolia Collections" marks the location, emphasizing the beauty of the curated botanical space.

Like the rest of the Arboretum’s collections, there is a small parking lot with about 5 spaces right at the magnolias. On weekends, it’s likely to be full, but you can walk from the larger parking lots at either entrance.

Location: United States National Arboretum, Holly and Magnolia Collections
Limited parking available at the collection; New York Avenue parking lot is the closest large parking lot
Closest metro: None

Tips for Seeing the Saucer Magnolias in DC

Bloom time varies, but typically the saucer magnolias will bloom about a week before the Tidal Basin Yoshino cherry blossoms hit peak bloom.

The Smithsonian’s saucer magnolias are probably the most stunning, and are worth a visit, even if there are crowds. It’s easily accessible from the metro.

Like the cherry blossoms, big wind and rain storms will knock the petals off the trees. However, they are not as delicate as the cherry blossoms, so don’t worry too much.

Read more on enjoying the outdoors around DC

Having lived in Washington, DC for the past 17 years, Valerie has a lot of thoughts about the best things to do, eat, and know around the city. She loves doing deep dives into the interesting things she finds, and sharing with the world. You'll often find her dog, Lil Mikey, along for the ride.

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