Tree Notes is about trees -- especially native trees, trees for wildlife, and trees in history.

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Top Ten Street Trees of New York City

Most common trees along New York City streets


A recent tree census found that the following are the top ten street tree species in New York City. The percentages show the breakdown within the top ten.

1. London plane tree 15.3%
2. Norway maple, 14.1%
3. Callery pear, 10.9%
4. Honey locust, 8.9%
5. Pin oak, 7.5%
6. Little leaf linden, 4.7%
7. Green ash, 3.5%
8. Red maple, 3.5%
9. Silver maple, 3.2%
10. Ginkgo, 2.8%


These statistics are from an interesting article about urban forestry in New York City: "Census Shows Street Trees Add Value To City Life", by Linda J. Wilson, The Queens Gazette, August 22, 2007.

Here's one way to think of the percentages. Of every thousand of NYC's top ten street trees, 153 would be London plane trees, 141 would be Norway maples, 109 would be Callery pears, etc.

5 comments -- please add yours:

Christopher Newton said...

This tree blog is a great idea, Genevieve. I just subscribed on Bloglines.
We moved to the Pacific Northwest last September (Spokane WA) and I have spent some of this first year wandering around looking at the street trees to see what does well. There are glorious old spreading maples that shield the streets in summer, and from my window I also see the big ponderosa pines and Norway spruces dominating the air.
We are planning to plant two street trees, so this blog will be very helpful. Congrats!

C. Marie Byars said...

Hey, interesting blog. We have some common overlaps in interests: music, trees, nature in general, Lutheranism, hymnns, and THE MARX BROTHERS!!!

My husband's first discipline of study was forestry at Louisiana State University. That was his "big draw" when I met him. I'll bookmark this site for him.

If you believe at all in global warming trends, there have been mainstream magazine articles talking about the disappeance & dwarfing of urban trees.

Take care & God Bless!!

C. Marie Byars said...

Oh, I forgot to tell you--if you make it over to my site of Christian Nature poetry, look under the "trees" label. There's one in particular, a "smooshing" of tree poetry verses straight out of the Bible, that might appeal to your green thumb & higher instincts, too! Blessings!

Genevieve Netz said...

P. Pig, I posted a link to a tree field guide for the Northwest. Hope you find it useful, and also that you find something useful or interesting here from time to time.

Marie, thanks for visiting. I promise you that your husband knows much, much more about trees than I do. I'm just an interested and somewhat opinionated amateur!

Anonymous said...

this website is sooooooo cool. its really gong to help me learn more about trees thanks

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Enrich your life with the study of trees.

"The power to recognize trees at a glance without examining their leaves or flowers or fruit as they are seen, for example, from the car-window during a railroad journey, can only be acquired by studying them as they grow under all possible conditions over wide areas of territory. Such an attainment may not have much practical value, but once acquired it gives to the possessor a good deal of pleasure which is denied to less fortunate travelers."

Charles Sprague Sargent (1841-1927)

Print references I frequently consult

Benvie, Sam. Encyclopedia of North American Trees. Buffalo, NY: Firefly, 2000.

Brockman, C. Frank. Trees of North America: A Guide to Field Identification. Ed. Herbert S. Zim. New York: Golden, 1986.

Cliburn, Jerry, and Ginny Clomps. A Key to Missouri Trees in Winter: An Identification Guide. Conservation Commission of the State of Missouri, 1980.

Collingwood, G. H., Warren David Brush, and Devereux Butcher. Knowing Your Trees. Washington: American Forestry Association, 1978.

Dirr, Michael. Dirr's Hardy Trees and Shrubs: an Illustrated Encyclopedia. Portland, Or.: Timber, 1997.

Elias, Thomas S. The Complete Trees of North America; Field Guide and Natural History. New York: Book Division, Times Mirror Magazines, 1980.

Grimm, William Carey. The Book of Trees;. Harrisburg, PA: Stackpole, 1962.

Hightshoe, Gary L. Native Trees, Shrubs, and Vines for Urban and Rural America: a Planting Design Manual for Environmental Designers. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1988.

Little, Elbert L. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees. New York: Chanticleer, 1996.

Martin, Alexander C., Herbert S. Zim, and Arnold L. Nelson. American Wildlife and Plants. New York: McGraw Hill, 1951.

Mitchell, Alan F., and David More. The Trees of North America. New York, NY: Facts On File Publications, 1987.

Randall, Charles E. Enjoying Our Trees. Washington: American Forestry Association, 1969.

Settergren, Carl D., and R. E. McDermott. Trees of Missouri. Columbia: University Extension, 1995.

Sternberg, Guy, and James W. Wilson. Native Trees for North American Landscapes: from the Atlantic to the Rockies. Portland: Timber, 2004.

Wharton, Mary E., and Roger W. Barbour. Trees and Shrubs of Kentucky. Lexington: University of Kentucky, 1973.

Wyman, Donald. Trees for American Gardens. New York: Macmillan, 1965.

Photos and text copyright © 2006-2013 by Genevieve L. Netz. All rights reserved. Do not republish without written permission. My e-mail address is gnetz51@gmail.com