Trees

* This tree can be found on the streets rather than just in parks 

American Hornbeam  
Carpinus caroliniana

The American Hornbeam is known to have incredibly strong wood that was historically used to replace iron when it was hard to find or expensive. It is usually a busy tree that is around 20- 30 feet tall but it can be larger. It produces male pollen catkins and female bunches of leaves. Its bark is very distinctive and sinewy. It can be found on streets (for example Park Avenue South near Union Square) and in Central Park. 

American Sycamore
Platanus occidentalis 

American Sycamore trunks have the greatest diameter of any tree in the east, with some trunks being more than 13 feet in diameter. Today, the diameter is usually around 4-5 feet and the tree is about 100 feet high. It has light brown almost white bark, which does not stretch, so peels off in small pieces as the tree gets larger. Eventually the bottom of the tree will become flaky and dark brown. It can be found in Central Park off the main path from 79th Street near the back of the Metropolitan Museum. 

Callery Pear
Pyrus calleryana   * 

The callery pear is a very commonly planted street tree in Manhattan because it is resistant to disease and is tolerant of air pollution, low oxygen levels in soil, and salt runoff. The specific cultivar that was planted throughout New York is called 'Bradford'. While this seemed an ideal species when it was planted, this tree has one major flaw; during storms with wind, ice, and snow, the branches break off easily and split the trunk, creating a hazard for both humans and the tree. In order to combat this issue, New York City now plants the cultivars 'Aristocrat' and 'Redspire', which do not have the same problems. Another slight issue with the Callery Pear is that in the early spring, it blossoms with small white flowers. While they are beautiful and don't last very long, they give off a strange scent that many New Yorkers are familiar with but not fond of. Callery Pears can be found on many streets and in parks, specifically, on 84th street and 2nd avenue. 

Crab Apple  
Malus

The crab apple displays large amounts of pink, white, yellow, orange, and crimson flowers in spring and can be 5- 20 feet tall. They can handle urban environments well, making them very popular around New York City. Older varieties are susceptible to diseases like scab and fireblight. They can be found near turtle pond and the Delacorte theater in Central Park. 

Eastern Red Cedar
Juniperus virginiana 

Contrary to the name, this tree is actually a juniper. Historically, they are highly sought after because of the decay resistant, fine- grained wood, and the camphor oil it produces is kills the larvae of pesky moths. Its seeds are usually spread by cedar waxwings as well as other types of birds. There is a small circle of them on top of Cedar Hill in Central Park.  

 Eastern White Pine 

Pinus strobus 

The eastern white pine once dominated the original forests of New England, but were useful for making ships, so many were cut down and sent to England during the colonial period. The trees can be up to 240 feet tall but are usually around 150 feet tall. Eastern white pine wood is often used for doors and furniture, and it is susceptible to the white- pine weevil, which kills the main shoot, causing side branches to come together and create a forked trunk. Old white pines are able to resist fire because of their thick bark and then supply to seed to the newly cleared forest floor.  They can be found directly behind the Metropolitan Museum in Central Park.

Elms:

American Elm

Ulmus americana

In the 19th and early 20th century, this was the most popular tree to plant in a populated area, from residential areas, to city parks to college campuses, this was the go- to tree for dense public areas. However, the percentage of American Elms has been greatly reduced due to the Dutch elm disease, a fungus that spreads through the roots of adjacent trees. Also, trees that were originally planted on the streets in the late 19th century have begun to die of old age. As the American elms die, they are replaced with a new disease resistant cultivar called Princeton.They produce bright green, thin, hairy, and notched fruits or samaras, and their leaves are elliptical, 3-6 inches long, with large and small teeth alternating. They can be found on Manhattan Streets, and in Central Park, specifically around the Mall. They are abundant in Tompkins Square Park. It is unclear how so many of them were able to avoid Dutch Elm Disease, however, in 1966, under an elm in the center of the park, the founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, led the first ever recording of an outdoor chanting session of the Hare Krishna mantra outside of India. One of the chanters was Allen Ginsberg, the poet. Some say this chanting has helped to save the trees. 

English Elm         
Ulmus procera

English elms have large, tapering trunks as well as large branches. On both the trunk and the limbs, there are many sucker shoots. Their leaves are usually about 2- 3.5 inches long and are dark green and doubly toothed. They can be found in Central Park behind the Met, near the Bear statues at the 79th Street entrance.

Bald Cypress 
Taxodium distichum 

The Bald Cypress is a deciduous conifer, meaning that it sheds its needles every fall. It can grow to be 140 feet. Its natural habitat is in the swamps of the south but because it is able to handle cold and low oxygen soil, it is suitable for parks and streets in northern urban environments. Bald cypress wood is also incredibly resilient against decay and was historically used for docks, boats, and water tanks on top of buildings. The oldest Bald cypresses are said to be 1000- 1700 years old. There is a bald cypress near the back of the Metropolitan Museum, in Central park on the north side of the main path leading in from 79th street.

European Beech
Fagus sylvatica 

 The European Beech is very common and well known New York City Tree. It has  a reputation of being the tree of the wealthy because of its large, grand trunk, its exposed, meandering roots, and its many thick branches. It has a 4 inch long elliptical leaf with wavy margins and small or no teeth.  It is very popular in Central park, and it won't take long to find one. A specific location is near the 90th street entrance to the park, near the Reservoir. 

Flowering Dogwood

Cornus florida

A truly beautiful tree, it can covered in white, pink, and red four- petaled flowers. They are usually rounded, and wider than tall. They have faced challenges in recent years because they are fairly susceptible to a dogwood fungal disease called dogwood anthracnose or Discula destructiva. It used to be very highly valued for its lumber and was made into golf- club heads, tool handles, and spindles, but with present day synthetics, dogwoods are mainly used to look at and appreciate. They can be found behind the Metropolitan Museum and near the Reservoir in Central Park. 

Honeylocust  

Gleditsia triacanthos

The honeylocust is the most common street tree in Manhattan. It is able to survive in harsh environments with salt runoff, pollution, and drought, making it a good choice for urban areas.  It is a medium sized tree with thin branches and large spikes that grow in clumps all over its trunk and limbs, however most of the ones that are planted in highly populated areas are a thornless variety. It produces large seed pods filled with bean- like seeds and a sweet, sticky pulp that is a favorite snack of cows, deer, rabbits, squirrels, and other animals, which helps to spread the seeds all over. Honeylocusts can be found on many streets of Manhattan as well as in Central Park and Riverside park. A specific one is at the east 79th street entrance to Central Park, on the north corner, near the Metropolitan Museum. It is on the right as you enter. 

Japanese Zelkova 

Zelkova serrata  *

Japanese Zelkovas  can grow in many different climates and soils, are resilient against drought and heat, and iare resistant to Dutch elm disease and insect parasites, making them increasingly popular street trees. They are part of the elm family and have mottled bark and a vase- like shape. Their leaves are 2-5 inches long with a central main vein and up to 16 secondary veins. They can be found on many streets throughout Manhattan, specifically 84th street between 3rd Avenue and Lexington                                                         Avenue. 

Pin Oak

Quercus palustris   *

The pin oak is the third most common street tree in New York City, because it is accustomed to swamps, giving the ability to survive flooding, drought, and low amounts of oxygen in the soil. It is called a pin oak due to the thin dead branchlets that stick out from the trunk and larger branches. Their leaves have a typical oak leaf shape, with highly separated lobes. Pin oaks can be found on many streets throughout Manhattan as well as all over Central Park. 

                                        

Norway Spruce  

Picea abies

This is the common spruce tree in Europe and was brought to this part of the world in colonial times.  Usually, in its natural habitat, the Norway spruce will grow over 100 feet tall and can live for over a century. Here, they grow to about 60 feet and rarely live for more than a century. In eastern parts of the US it is used as a windbreaker and for decorative purposes. It has stiff, green .5" long needles which stay on the tree for 6-7 years. They can be found on Cedar Hill in Central Park. 

* This tree can be found on the streets rather than just in parks