Top New York City Trees - Many are Not Recommended for Planting
The Queens Gazette, in an article called Census Shows Street Trees Add Value To City Life, reports a 10 percent increase in trees in the Metropolitan New York City area from 1995-96 to 2005-06. This survey used more than 1,000 volunteers who logged a total of 30,000 hours. It was the "largest participatory urban forestry project" in any city in the United States.
An increase in trees, the study shows, looks great at first blush; but lets look at it in a bit more detail using the most common tree species surveyed. All of the top ten except two native trees, green ash and red maple, could have substantial negative impacts on urban sites and potential impacts on surrounding suburban areas. Four of the top ten trees are not native to the United States.
Horticulturists and urban foresters recommend planting eight of these surveyed species with caution. London plane tree, pin oak and littleleaf linden quickly outgrow many, if not most, urban sites with limited space. The Callery pear and Norway maple are highly invasive plants, have escaped to natural forests and are considered harmful to native vegetation. Silver maple can be very brittle and short-lived.
Here are the ten most common tree species surveyed:
- London plane tree, 15.3% (non-native, poor planting choice, messy, outgrows small spaces)
- Norway maple, 14.1% (non-native, poor planting choice, invasive)
- Callery pear, 10.9% (poor planting choice, breakage, invasive)
- Honey locust, 8.9% (poor planting choice, messy, overplanting problems)
- Pin oak, 7.5% (poor planting choice, outgrows small spaces )
- Littleleaf linden, 4.7% (non-native, poor planting choice, outgrows small spaces)
- Green ash, 3.5% (recommended to plant)
- Red maple, 3.5% (recommended to plant)
- Silver maple, 3.2% (poor planting choice, brittle)
- Ginkgo, 2.8% (non-native, females are poor planting choice)
London Planetree - Oldest Tree In Central Park
Photo by Steve Nix, Licensed to About.com
Comments
I’m surprised green ash is a recommended tree. I’ve recently read that one should not plant them, as they are susceptible to the emerald ash borer (an invasive insect) which destroys these trees. While this insect is not yet in parts of this country (e.g., New England), it is only a matter of time before it arrives. And, there is little one can do to prevent these insects from destroying ash trees once they arrive.
I understand where you are coming from but don’t agree that if a tree has an insect or disease problem – don’t ever plant it. Green ash is a great tree to plant, a beautiful street tree and recommended by most urban foresters.
American elm, Eastern hemlock, white pine, flowering dogwood and a growing list of species attract pests that could harm them. There are ways planters and landscape managers can minimize pests attacks by proper management.
My son couldn’t even walk outside in Greenpoint, Brooklyn during the one anda half months of peak tree pollen season. Is there some tree that was planted often to replace those that had fallen victim to the Japanese Beatle? He’s allergic to ash, alder, elm, beech and birch.
I live in Forest Hills, Queens NY and I am surrounded by London Plane and Pin Oak trees. They are beautiful trees that provide much shade in the hot summer months. They do not seem to me to have outgrown their space. Unfortunately, the city does not replace them when they are lost.
Just removed two 60 ft tall Ailanthus trees from my Manhattan backyard. Thes overgrown weeds were the worst trees ever, dropping about 6 phases of junk each year and dropping heavy branches on perfectly calm days. Good riddance. I’m amazed that there is no concerted effort to rid the city and the county of these invasive deamon weeds.