Tree Facts

Pinus strobus - Eastern White Pine

This tree can grow to a height of 50 to 80 feet tall in cultivation, but commonly grows up to 100 feet in the wild. The tallest Eastern White Pine tree that has been recorded reached a height of over 200 feet tall. That’s 50 feet taller than Lady Liberty. (2)
The tree is a favored nesting place of bald eagles. (5)
The Eastern White Pine is the official state tree of Michigan and Maine. (2)
Valued in the 18th and 19th centuries as a timber tree, this pine has lightweight, straight-grained wood with an orange tint in the heartwood core fading to white at the sapwood edges. (2)
Eastern white pine commonly reaches 200 years of age and may exceed 450 years old. (5)
The tree’s seeds are dispersed by the wind and can travel up to 700 feet away in open areas. (5)
Eastern white pines are one of the tree species grown on commercial Christmas tree farms in Michigan along with 8 other fir, pine, and spruce species. Michigan ranks 3rd in the nation for supplying approximately 1.55 million fresh Christmas trees to the national market each year. (23)
A 23-year old white pine tree stores around 1 pound of carbon each year, while a 40-year old white pine stores 7 pounds and an 80-year old white pine stores 47 pounds each year. White pine blister rust is a bark disease of the eastern white pine which is usually fatal for the tree. (2)

Eucommia ulmoides - Hardy Rubber

This tree can grow to a height of 40 to 60 feet tall in ideal growing conditions. (2)
A native to China, this tree is now considered vulnerable or possibly extinct in the wild. (2)
Commonly referred to as hardy rubber tree, if you tear a leaf or break a twig, you will see a stringy latex-like sap which can in fact be used to make rubber. (2)
Useful as a tonic herb in traditional Chinese medicine, this tree is widely cultivated in China and is recommended for vitality enhancement and longevity. (3)
Eucommia bark is a highly valued "herb" in Chinese herbalism and is known to have been mentioned over 2,500 years ago in a piece of herbal literature called the Shennong Ben Cao Jing. (4)
Extract from the bark is now used as a popular herb by athletes to help improve flexibility and fortify bones, ligaments, and tendons, especially in the knees, ankles, and back. (4)
Non-native plants like the hardy rubber tree have defensive chemicals in their tissues which are toxic to native wildlife since the species did not coevolve together. (28)
Research has shown that the use of non-native trees like the hardy rubber tree reduces important food sources for birds, especially when they are nesting and trying to feed their young. (28)

Metasequoia glyptostroboides - Dawn Redwood

Dawn Redwoods known to have existed over 50 million years ago, were thought to have been extinct and only exist in fossil remains, until a stand of trees was discovered in China in the 1940s. (2)
It is related to and resembles bald cypress and redwood trees with a tall cone shape reaching up to 100 feet tall. (2)
The first seedlings introduced to the United States were planted on the campuses of UC Berkley and University of Oregon in Eugene in 1948 and are still there today. (6)
The color of the leaves changes through the seasons, first appearing as bright green buds and leaves signaling spring, they mature to a deep green through summer, and then turn a red-bronze color in the fall before falling off. (2)
The use of the adjective “dawn” in the tree’s common name was meant to point to the tree’s early fossil record. (6)
The Dawn Redwood is the only living tree species in its Genus, Metasequoia. However, more than 20 additional species have been discovered in fossil form!

Platanus occidentalis – American Sycamore

Indigenous to the eastern United States, sycamore trees can often be seen growing in sandy soils along streams, rivers, and flood plains, but they are also tolerant of a wide range of growing conditions including urban soils and pollutants. (2)
The trees have an interesting bark texture due to the brown bark of the trees naturally exfoliating in irregular pieces to reveal creamy white inner bark patches. (2)
It is generally regarded as the most massive tree indigenous to eastern North America with a typical mature height of 75 to 100 feet and a spread of the same distance. (2)
Native Americans used hollowed tree trunks of sycamores to build canoes. (2)
Sycamores are fast-growing and long-lived. They have the potential to grow 2 feet or more per year and live to be more than 200 years old. (7)
Known to be a very large tree at maturity, sycamores may be too big for a small residential yard.

Betula nigra - River Birch

Squirrels love to munch on the drooping clusters of seeds produced in the spring. (8)
The seeds ripen in May and June which coincides with high water levels of rivers. Since the trees naturally grow along riverbanks, the seed is carried long distances by the water. Once left on the mud along the banks, the seeds germinate quickly to produce stands of trees key in helping to prevent erosion. (8)
The hard wood of the river birch has been used to make ox yokes, wooden shoes, and furniture. (8)
River birch typically grow to a height of 40 to 70 feet tall but can reach up to 90 feet. (8)
These trees are known for their copper colored peeling bark which provides interest in all seasons. (8)
Behind the distinctive curly bark of the river birch lies a sap that at one time was boiled by indigenous people of Michigan to make a sweetener similar to syrup.
Not the best for pristine landscapes, river birch trees tend to be messy dropping a lot of small twigs and leaves.

Salix babylonica – Weeping Willow

This gracefully branching tree generally grows 30 to 50 feet tall, and just as wide. (2)
Although the Salix babylonica weeping willow species was thought to have been from Babylon, its origin is actually China, and may have been transported to Babylon along the Silk Road trade route from China through Asia and the Middle East. (2)
The weeping willow is one of the first trees to leaf out in spring and last to drop its leaves in the fall. (9)
Willow branches have been found to be useful in creating art. The branches are used to make charcoal for drawing. They are also used for creating living sculptures. Live willow rods are planted in the ground and then woven into shapes which take root and continue to grow. (10)
Willow stems are used to weave baskets and other three-dimensional sculptures.
The willow is commonly portrayed in many pen and ink paintings from China and Japan. (10)
Claude Monet painted a series of weeping willow paintings capturing the texture, color, and form of a weeping willow planted at the edge of his water lily garden in Giverny, France. (10)
Be aware that the wood of the willow is weaker than other trees and may crack under pressure such as extra weight from ice and snow. (2)
Willow trees have proven to be problematic in residential landscapes near buildings or drainage systems. The shallow roots are aggressive in seeking out water and may penetrate cracks and clog sewer and water pipes. (2)

Ginkgo biloba - Ginkgo

The gingko tree is considered a living fossil! The earliest leaf fossils date back to 270 million years ago, and it is the last remaining living species of its botanical classification.
The oldest ginkgo tree in America is thought to be one of three trees sent from London in 1785 to Philadelphia. The one planted by William Bartram at Bartram’s Gardens is the sole survivor and is at least 235 years old! (1)
The species is native to China and has been cultivated in Asia for more than 1,500 years. Some tree specimen there are considered to be 2,500 years old. (12)
Last fall thousands of tourists flocked daily to a Buddhist temple in China to see the incredible yellow autumn foliage of a ginkgo tree considered to be 1,400 years old. The tree is suspected to have been planted by a Chinese emperor in the Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.). (11)
The unique fan shaped leaves of the gingko tree are dried and used to make an herbal supplement popular for helping to improve blood disorders, memory problems, cardiovascular function, and eye health. (14)
The use of non-native trees like the gingko decreases the amount of birds that are likely to occupy and breed in your yard. Gingko trees support 0 caterpillar species, which are some of nesting birds biggest food sources, while a native oak tree supports 557 species of caterpillars. (28)

Gleditsia triacanthos - Honey Locust

The 12” long brown leathery seed pods are a hint that the tree is in the Fabaceae plant family along with peas, beans, and other legumes. (2)
It has a fast growth rate, growing 2 feet or more during a growing season for the first 10 years and can grow to a height of 70 to 80 feet tall. (15)
The trunk and branches have large thorns, 3”-4” long, that can be either solidary or three-branched. These thorns were once used as nails for the construction of barns and other buildings practices. (16)
Commonly used as a street tree, honey locust trees are unmistakable in the fall with bright yellow foliage and dark brown trunks. (2)
The fleshy pulp of the bean pods is edible and has a sweet, honey-like taste. This is where the honey locust gets its name. (16)
A useful tree for indigenous people, the Cherokee were believed to have used the honey locust as a source of food and wood, creating bows, tools, and carved games for their children. (1)
The honey locust tree produces fustin and fisetin, two biochemical compounds that help make the wood termite resistant. (27)
President Roosevelt had around 19,000 honey locust trees planted on approximately 33,000 farms that were affected by the Dust Bowl in the 1930s to help stabilize the degraded land. (27)
Watch out for the 3”-4” thorns on the branches and trunks of the honey locust; they are sharp and could be painful if you get too close. (2)
Honey locust can have insect problems in some areas, including borers and webworms. The potential for disease and insect problems increase if the tree is injured and with age. (2)

Tilia cordata – Littleleaf Linden

In German meaning “under the linden trees,” Unter den Linden is a famous boulevard in Berlin known for the many historic and cultural buildings and the linden trees planted to line the street. (17)
Linden trees are a favorite for honeybees. The flowers produce large amounts of nectar at a crucial time early in the season when the hive is raising the brood and many summer flowers have not yet bloomed. (2)
When the trees are in full bloom in June, bees visiting for the nectar come in such large quantities that buzzing can be heard from a few feet away from the tree. (2)
The littleleaf linden tree species was introduced from Europe and is widely used as a street tree because of its attractive dark green foliage and pyramidal shape. (2)
The linden trees are called lime trees by the British because the wood of the tree is less porous than other wood and was used to build furnishings for the cabins of ships to store limes and other citrus. (18)
Littleleaf linden trees have heart-shaped leaves with jagged edges called teeth. (18)
The wood from the linden tree, also called basswood, is soft and lightweight allowing it to be easy to work with and useful in making window shutters, electric guitar bodies, and wind instruments. (19)
When linden trees are stressed by a period of drought, you may begin to see troublesome insects begin to inhabit the tree. (2)

Amelanchier spp. – Serviceberry

Amelanchier is known by many common names including: Serviceberry, Shadbush, Shadwood, Juneberry, Saskatoon, Sugar Plum and Chuckley Pear. Some of those names give a hint at the fact that the fruit is edible and is commonly used for jams and pies! (2)
Native to Eastern North America, serviceberry is a large shrub or small ornamental tree which typically grows to 15 to 30 feet tall. (2)
In the early spring before any of the leaves come out, the trees are adorned with clusters of slightly fragrant, 5-petaled white flower signaling of the end of winter. (2)
The flowers that are pollinated produce small, round green berries which turn red and then ripen to dark-purplish black in early summer. The edible fruit resembles a blueberry in size and color. (2)
The native habitat of the serviceberry is in woodlands and along the sides of bluffs and streams. (20)
The common name serviceberry is a reference to the fact that the plant blooms as soon as the ground begins to thaw, at the same time when people were able to dig graves again after winter. (20)
Like any plant, disease problems with serviceberry may occur if the plant is not in satisfactory growing conditions or is stressed by other environmental factors. Some typical problems include fireblight, fungal leaf spot, rust and powdery mildew. (20)

Quercus bicolor – Swamp White Oak

Native to northeastern North America, from Missouri to Massachusetts, the swamp white oak is a sturdy, long-lived tree reaching 50 to 60 feet tall. (2)
The fall color of the swamp white oak ranges from yellow and orange to reddish-purple. (2)
The swamp white oak is normally found growing in moist to swampy locations along streams, lakes, floodplains, or the edge of swamps. (2)
Due to the seasonal changes of its native habitat along the edges of streams and swamps, the root system of the swamp white oak is tolerant of spring flooding as well as drought conditions during the summer. (21)
The leaves are shiny green on top and silvery white on the underside. (2)
Pre-celtic mythology features Oaks that could listen and hear. Recent research demonstrated that trees can hear within a range of 2 kilohertz and 70-80 decibels, and they respond by synthesizing gibberellic acid. (27)
Acorns have a special sugar in them called d-quercitol which squirrels crave. They eat some acorns and bury huge numbers for later. Since their memory is terrible, but they have high standards for the quality of the acorns they bury, squirrels become the planters of entire oak forests grown from the best acorns. (27)
If the soils are not properly acidic, the swamp white oak may develop chlorosis which causes the leaves to yellow while the veins remain green. The health of the tree can be remedied by adding acidic nutrients to the soil. (2)

Acer platanoides - Norway Maple

Introduced to the United States in 1756 by the famous Pennsylvania botanist, John Bartram, the Norway maple is originally from Europe but now can be found widely as a street tree throughout the Northern states. (22)
The leaves of the Norway maple look similar to the leaves of the native sugar maple. One indicator in telling the two species apart is to break the leaf stalk to see what kind of liquid comes out. The Norway maple will have a milky sap, while the sugar maple will have a watery sap. (22)
The Norway maple is a medium sized maple species typically growing 40 to 50 feet tall. (2)
The leaves are roughly 7” wide with 5 sharply pointed lobes similar to the North American native sugar maple. (2)
The Norway maple, also known as the Emerald Queen Maple, has a widespread native range across eastern and central Europe to western Asia. The species inhabits France to Russia, north to southern Scandinavia and southeast to Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. (24)
In New England where the Norway maple was first introduced, the trees have been found to naturalize and spread through native forests posing the threat of out-competing native tree and plant species. A number of states in New England now consider the species invasive and prohibit its sale and distribution. (22)
The tree has a shallow root system that can crack or heave nearby pavement, which is one reason why it is no longer considered a good choice for a street tree. (2)
The thick canopy of leaves and shallow root system reduce the amount of plants that will survive under the Norway maple. (2)

General tree facts:

Trees and vegetation have a big impact in helping to cool the urban environment and reduce the urban heat island effect. Research has shown that shaded surfaces may be 20-45°F cooler than the peak temperatures of unshaded materials. Evapotranspiration can help reduce peak summer temperatures by 2-9°F. (25)
Trees that are planted in strategic locations at the west or south sides of buildings are effective in decreasing the demand for air conditioning which reduces energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
Trees planted along sidewalks, streets, and parks help create a more pleasant experience by cooling temperatures, reducing glare, and providing positive visual interest.
Depending on tree age, climate, type of forest and soil, an acre of trees can capture one ton of CO2 each year. (26)
Birds, squirrels, and tree frogs aren’t the only animals that live in trees! Around the globe there is a huge diversity of animals that spend most of their time eating, sleeping, playing, and raising their young in trees. From sloths and koalas, to monkeys, lemurs, and opossums, these animals all make their homes in the treetops.

Websites

1 https://bartramsgarden.org/explore-bartrams/gingko-tree/

2 http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/

3 https://examine.com/supplements/eucommia-ulmoides/

4 https://www.superfoodevolution.com/eucommia-bark-benefits.html

5 https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/tree/pinstr/all.html

6 https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/metasequoia-glyptostroboides

7 https://homeguides.sfgate.com/life-expectancy-sycamore-tree-74667.html

8 https://www.uky.edu/hort/River-Birch

9 https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/salix-babylonica/

10 https://joyofmuseums.com/artists-index/claude-monet/weeping-willow-by-claude-monet/

11 https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7681487/1-400-year-old-Ginkgo-tree-planted-Chinese-emperor-perfect-autumn-foliage.html