Bring me the head of the Juniper Valley Tree-Killer

Posted on 2009-09-17 by admin

Over the weekend, 12 newly planted trees were destroyed at Juniper Valley Park in Queens. This incident marks the fourth case of tree damage this year at the park and a $2,500 reward has been offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in this arborcide. It is believed that the trees were cut with an electric saw, either late Saturday night or early Sunday morning. They were just planted in the park this past spring. Ten were cherry trees and two were oaks.
– Parks Asks the Community’s Assistance in Nabbing Juniper Valley Park Tree Killer, Press Release, 2009-09-16

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Juniper Valley Park has been victim of tree arborcide and vandalism four times this year, with more than 20 trees victimized. In April, low branches were torn off a number of trees overnight. In June, two trees were found damaged in the park and in July, seven trees were damaged, leaving four uprooted, two completely destroyed and one with trunk damage.

If you have any information on this crime, please call the NYPD Crime stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS.

[bit.ly]

Links

Parks Asks the Community’s Assistance in Nabbing Juniper Valley Park Tree Killer, NYC Parks, Press Release, 2009-09-16
Vandals Attack Trees Again in Juniper Park, Juniper Park Civic Association, 2009-09-13

Plant Trees in Ditmas Park West, Sunday, 4/26

Posted on 2009-04-23 by admin

I helped plant this Zelkova serrata, Japanese Zelkova, last year.

Part of the Arbor Day weekend activities in Flatbush, on Sunday you can help plant 9 trees in Ditmas Park West, one of the neighborhoods of Victorian Flatbush.

Meet at 10am at 458 Rugby Road [GMAP]. Bring your own tools and gloves, if you have them. Wear sturdy work boots, and prepare to get dirty! No rain is predicated through the weekend, so you won’t have to deal with last year’s mud. Possibly record highs – temperatures in the upper 80s – are predicted for Sunday, so wear your sunscreen and bring lots of water to stay hydrated.

At the meeting place, they will form work crews which will fan out to different locations. Some will plant trees, some will do cleanups. At 1pm, folks meet up for lunch.

[bit.ly] [TinyURL]

Sassafras albidum, Sassafras

Posted on 2009-02-19 by admin

Sassafras albidum, Sassafras, is a medium-sized deciduous tree native to eastern North America. It’s easily identified by its leaves which vary in shape from simple (unlobed) and elliptical, asymmetrically two-lobed (left- or right-handed “mittens”), and three-lobed.

Two forms of Sassafras leaves. Photo: Patrick Coin (Flickr)

Several features of Sassafras led me to select it as the focal point for my backyard garden design planting plan. Although I’ve lived in the Northeast most of my life, it’s only in the past several years that I’ve come to really appreciate Sassafras. I now recognize it as a four-season plant.

In early Spring, before anything leafs out, the clouds of brilliant yellow flowers stand out; both male and female flowers are colorful. Summer foliage is handsome and aromatic. On female plants, the fruit is colorful and attractive, and the red stems persist after the fruit has been devoured by birds. Fall color is among the best there is; it should be part of any fall garden that has the space for it. For winter interest, the bark of older specimens develops interesting textures, while the forms of the bare branches seem to flail chaotically, expressive of wilderness.

Sassafras albidum, typical autumn coloration. Photo: dogtooth77 (Flickr)

Sassafras is in the Lauraceae, the Laurel family. This is a family of mostly pantropical, evergreen shrubs and trees; Sassafras has the most northern distribution of the Lauraceae. Many plants in this family are rich in essential oils, and thus of economic importance; Cinnamon, Bay Laurel and Avocado are also in this family. Sassafras roots were once used to flavor root beer, until concerns about the carcinogenic properties of safrole led to banning its use. Sassafras leaves are still used to make the spice gumbo filé.

All parts of Sassafras are aromatic, including its leaves. It’s an important larval host for several Lepidoptera. It’s the primary larval host for Papilio troilus, spicebush swallowtail, P. palamedes, laurel swallowtail, and Callosamia promethea, Promethea silkmoth.

Flowers are pollinated by bees and flies. Sassafras fruits are eaten by many species of birds. However, plants are dioecious, so both male and female plants are needed within pollinator range. Even if I was lucky enough to get a female plant, the closest other plants I’m aware of are in Prospect Park, a half-mile away. I’m not counting on fruit from my Sassafras, but it would be a terrific bonus.

From my observations, it’s very common in the sandy soils along the New Jersey coast. It’s most common as a successional plant in disturbed areas, where it can form pure stands through suckering. There’s been some research to indicate that Sassafras exhibits allelopathy, interfering with the germination of some other woody species, at least.

A tendency toward suckering and a reputation for difficulty in transplantation have limited its application in cultivation. However, several authors suggest that propagation methods may influence this. Specimens propagated by apparent transplantation from the field may actually be suckers being separated from a parent plant or stand. The thought is that this increases the chance for suckering later, after transplantation. Even true individuals have deep taproots, making transplantation difficult. This obstacle can be eliminated with pot-grown, seed-propagated individuals. I’m on the lookout for a retail source in the NYC area.

Taxonomy

Botanical name: Sassafras albidum
Family: Lauraceae (Laurel Family)
Common name: Sassafras
Description: Deciduous tree.
Range: Widespread in eastern North America, from Maine to Ontario and Michigan, south to Florida and eastern Texas.

Features

Flowers: Bright yellow clusters of flowers appear before leaves in early Spring. Dioecious: both male and female plants needed for fruiting.
Foliage: Multiple shapes, brilliant fall colors, one of the best for fall foliage.
Fruits: (On female plants) Oil-rich, blue-black berries on long bright red stalks.
Bark: Smooth when young, interesting, deeply furrowed, “alligator-hide bark” [Cullina] on older trees.

Culture

Height: 8m/26ft after 20 years [Flint], 30-60 feet at maturity
Width: 25-40 feet at maturity
DBH: 3 feet at maturity

Hardiness zones: 4-8
Exposure: Full sun preferred, but tolerates some shade as an understory tree.
Water: Drought-tolerant

Longevity: The Arnold Arboretum has a specimen that they acquired in 1884, over 120 years ago.

Because of its wide natural range, select a local ecotype, or acquire from a local nursery, for best adaptation and performance to your conditions.
Can be prone to suckering from lateral roots. To minimize this, do not transplant from the wild. Plant only container-grown seedlings. [Cullina, DIRR1997, Flint]
Not readily available commercially, but is carried by nurseries specializing in native plants.
Dioecious, so an individual planting may be male or female, and both are needed to produce fruit on the females.
Allelopathic.

Wildlife value

Birds: Oil-rich fruit on female plants are favored by migrating birds. [Cullina] Species include catbirds, flickers, pileated woodpeckers, downy woodpeckers, thrushes, vireos, and mockingbirds.
Butterflies and Moths: Primary larval host for Papilio troilus, spicebush swallowtail, P. palamedes, laurel swallowtail [Cullina, NPIN], and Callosamia promethea, Promethea silkmoth [NPIN, BONA], Cecropia species [BBG]
Pollinators: Sassafras is pollinated by bees and flies.

[tinyurl]

References

[BONA] Butterflies and Moths of North America
Cullina, William. Native Trees, Shrubs and Vines. 2002. Houghton Mifflin. ISBN-13: 978-0-618-09858-3
[DIRR1997] Dirr, Michael. Dirr’s Hardy Trees and Shrubs. 1997. Timber Press. ISBN-13: 978-0-88192-404-6
[DIRR1998] Dirr, Michael. Manual of Woody Landscape Plants. Revised 1998. Stipes Publishing. ISBN-13: 978-0-87563-795-2
Flint, Harrison. Landscape Plants for Eastern North America. 1983. Wiley. ISBN: 0-471-86905-8
NPIN

Sullivan, Janet (1993). “Sassafras albidum“. Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory

Links

Floridata
Missouri Botanical Garden
Plants For A Future
PLANTS, USDA
University of Connecticut
Wikipedia
Wikibooks

Growing 387 trees for the National 9/11 Memorial

Posted on 2009-02-19 by admin

A video interview with two of the people who are charged with growing nearly 400 trees that will populate the plaza of the National September 11 Memorial at Ground Zero in downtown Manhattan. The Gardeners for Recovery Cobblestone will reside on the street-level plaza somewhere among these trees.

Speaking are Ronald Vega, Project Manager, National September 11 Memorial Park, and Paul Cowie, Consulting Arborist, Paul Cowie & Assoicates, Montville, New Jersey. The “gothic arches” Vega mentions are also reminiscent of the architectural details of the twin towers.

Links

Films, National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center

Woodland Garden Design Plant List

Posted on 2009-02-18 by admin

Over the weekend, my Twitter stream reflected the progress I was making on my final class project for the Urban Garden Design class with Nigel Rollings at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Despite battling a wicked head hold and racking cough, I put the finishing touches on my design late Monday night.

A cultivar of Lonicera sempervirens, the native Trumpet Honeysuckle, growing on a metal arbor at the entrance to my backyard. The specific epithet “sempervirens” refers to the evergreen, or nearly so in my Zone 7a/6b garden, foliage.

In last night’s class we each presented our designs. There was a lot of warmth, humor, and enthusiasm among the class. Not to mention wine (though not for me). The night ran late, so there wasn’t time for close inspection of all the designs.

Some of my fellow students wanted more information about my plant selections. Here is the plant list, without further explanation for now, that I used in my design. Most of these are shrubs. Many of these I’ve collected over the past several years, and some are now several feet high and wide. Many, but not all, are species native to New York City. The most precious to me are those that have been propagated from NYC-local ecotypes.

This is just a candidate list, not a final one. As I mentioned in last night’s class, I’m not satisfied with the planting plan. I would like a couple more evergreen plants; I’d really like an Ilex opaca, but the native form gets too large for my site. There are many plants in this list that provide winter interest, in bark, form, berries, and so on, including some that are semi-evergreen. I want to place more vines in the design, and I already have some ideas for where to do that. And I didn’t spend much time specifying perennials. There’s still plenty of room for them in this design; there are at least a hundred to select from, and I just ran out of time to specify and draw them all.

Trees

Sassafras albidum, Sassafras. This would become the focal point of the garden; the design “rotates” around it. This will be a canopy tree, providing primary shade to the house and garden.
Amelanchier arborea, Common or Downy Serviceberry. This is an understory tree from the Rosaceae, the Rose Family, tolerant of the shade the Sassafras will provide. In my design, its placement will also grant it direct afternoon sun from the West during the summer months, which should help in fruit-set. It’s a “replacement” for the old apple tree that grew on the other side of the fence on my neighbor’s property, which they had to take down last winter. I miss that tree; it was a bird magnet. This tree is a better selection, better placed, and with fewer maintenance issues.
All Amelanchier species, commonly known as Serviceberries, are desireable landscape trees and shrubs and provide food for wildlife, especially birds. Alternatives to A. arborea are A. canadensis, Canada or Shadblow Serviceberry, or Shadbush, or A. laevis, Allegheny or Smooth Serviceberry, which is recommended for its human-edible fruit.
Prunus variety. This is an existing tree, the only one remaining from the eight trees that were in the backyard when we bought the property four years ago. It’s healthy, and adds some interest to every season, so I’m happy to keep it as long as it does well. But my design doesn’t depend on it, so when the time comes and it needs to go, the design will remain whole.

Geothlypis trichas, Common Yellowthroat, one of the avian visitors to my neighbor’s apple tree which I hope will be enticed to return by the Serviceberry.

Vines

Lonicera sempervirens cultivar (existing), Trumpet Honeysuckle. Semi-evergreen, twining vine. Flowers best and grows densest with full sun. Grows well, just less vigorously, in partial shade. Mine is visited by hummingbirds every year, but they always seem disappointed by it; it’s not the Hummingbird magnet I hoped it would be. I suspect I would need a local ecotype, one adapted to the phenology of hummingbird migration through this area, to attract hummingbirds well.
Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Virgina Creeper. deciduous vine, climbs by holdfasts to any vertical surface; can also grow as a groundcover. A native alternative to P. tricuspidata, Boston Ivy. Deciduous. Brilliant red color in the fall. Fruit are an important food source for birds.
Vitis labrusca, Fox Grape. Deciduous vine, climbs by tendrils. One of several native grape species, this is the source of the Concord Grape.

I also have an existing small-leaved Aristolochia, Pipevine, but I couldn’t place it yet in the new design. I want to add more vines, including the big-leaved Pipevine; I just need to think more about their placement and function.

Shrubs

Aronia arbutifolia ‘Brilliantissimum’ (existing)
Clethra alnifolia ‘September Beauty’ (existing)
Cornus sericea ‘Cardinal’ (existing)
Ilex verticillata cultivars, male and female (existing)
Juniperus horizontalis
Kalmia latifolia ‘Minuet’ (existing)
Lindera benzoin
Myrica pensylvanica
Prunus maritima
Rhododendron viscosum NYC-local ecotype (existing)
Rosa carolina (or R. virginiana)

Several shrubs I already have did not make it into this design. I’ve collected them over the years without a plan, based more on their availability and opportunity to acquire them than anything else. Unless I leave no space for people, there simply isn’t enough room for all of them in my 30’x30′ backyard, which is already quite expansive by NYC, even Brooklyn, standards. That gives me some flexibility in the planting plan, as my first choice is to go with plants I already have, but some will eventually have to live on somewhere else.

[TinyURL]

ID that tree

Posted on 2008-12-10 by admin

A specimen of Abies fraseri, Fraser Fir, decorated as our Christmas/ Winter Holiday Tree for 2007-2008.

A reminder that the Brooklyn Botanic Garden has an online guide to identifying the species of your holiday tree.

Most people can tell a Wii from a PS3 in the shop windows at this time of year, but how many can tell whether that’s a Scotch pine or a balsam fir in their living room? Our simplified key will help you identify your holiday tree.
– Holiday Tree Identification, Brooklyn Botanic Garden

For example, here are the keys to my annual choice, Abies fraseri, the Fraser Fir:

Leaves are needlelike, at least 4 times longer than wide.
Needles occur singly, not in clusters.
Buds are round or egg-shaped and have blunt tips.
Needles are attached directly to the stem.
Mature needles are 1/2 to 1 inch long.
Twigs have red hairs.

I also learned in my Woody Landscape Plant Identification class that you can quickly tell an Abies (Fir) from a Picea (Spruce) by trying to roll a needle between your fingers. Fir needles are flat and will not roll. Spruce needles are more cylindrical and will easily roll.

Since the guides include all species grown and sold commercially across the United States and Canada, they include some species you’re unlikely to find at your local tree merchant in New York City, such as Cupressus arizonica, the Arizona Cypress. In addition to the online keys, they have a page for each species, and many links to other information about selecting, identifying, and enjoying your tree.

Brooklyn Mulchfest 2009

Links

Holiday Tree Identification, Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Long Live the Christmas Tree, 2008.12.04, from neighbor and fellow gardener at New York City Garden

How to move a 200-ton Ginkgo

Posted on 2008-11-18 by admin

Very carefully.

This huge, mature Ginkgo biloba tree is being relocated to make room for construction of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s new Visitor’s Center. The new building will open onto Washington Avenue and the parking lot BBG shares with the Brooklyn Museum, the building in the background in the photo above.

The muddy mess in the foreground used to be the Herb Garden, which is being revisioned as a “21st Century potager” which will be located along Flatbush Avenue, south of the rock garden. This shot shows more of the ground, including one of the old paths in the Herb Garden in the foreground.

Here’s a view from a different perspective, looking back toward the entrance from the parking lot. Here you can see the other three Ginkgos which must also be dealt with before construction can begin. These are going to be converted to lumber and other materials which will be incorporated into the new, green building.

It looked like this when I visited with the Brooklyn Blogade back in October. The Ginkgos are leafy and green in the background.

Here’s a closer view of the gigantic root ball. I first estimated it to be at least 12 feet across. Now I think it’s at least 20 feet across. Compare the width of the root ball to the four foot width of the 4×8 sheet of plywood lying on top of it.

BBG Ginkgo biloba mobile

Posted on 2008-11-11 by admin

Update: Read How to move a 200-ton Ginkgo, 2008-11-18

If I’d known this was already underway, I would have made a visit when we were there last Friday. The Ginkgo to be relocated to make room for BBG’s new Visitor’s Center has been balled and wrapped, all 200 tons of it:

The process to start moving the tree began in the spring, when the garden hired Perfection Tree Experts to make the move. During that time, the company scored a big circle around the tree to prepare its roots.
…
After the pruning was completed in the spring, the tree was given time for its roots to strengthen, and on Monday, Locke started digging around the tree and preparing it for the move, which they are hoping will be complete by the end of this week.
– A Tree Moves in Brooklyn, Sarah Tobol, Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 2008-11-11

The Brooklyn Blogade at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 2008-10-12

Links

A Tree Moves in Brooklyn, Sarah Tobol, Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 2008-11-11

Tree Giveaway this Saturday in Sunset Park

Posted on 2008-10-14 by admin

Maple Tree, 91 Marlborough Road, Prospect Park South, November 2006

Not much advance notice, but I just learned of this myself. The only Brooklyn giveaway date and location this season is this Saturday, October 18, in Sunset Park.

Via fellow blogger(s) in Sunset Park, Best View in Brooklyn:

1,250 FREE trees will be available for adoption by homeowners and community groups at select locations throughout the five boroughs this October. Trees will be distributed by New York Restoration Project (NYRP). Note – individuals and families are limited to adopting one tree per household; and all tree recipients are required to register their new tree at www.milliontreesnyc.org. Interested community groups that can plant and care for 5-10 trees should contact mcrowley@nyrp.org before October 18th.

For residents who do not have their own yard to plant a tree, information on volunteering, educational programming and contributing to MillionTreesNYC will also be available.

A variety of trees of different sizes, including flowering and medium and large canopy (shade) trees will be available. Our horticultural staff will be present to provide advice on which species tree is best for your home.
– Free Trees for NYC Homeowners and Community Groups in October (PDF only)

I’m curious to know what kinds of trees are available. I’m planning to plant two native trees in my backyard to replace the failing, weedy maples which I’ve had to get removed over the years. This giveaway conflicts with the Daffodil Project pickup, which is also this Saturday, in Grand Army Plaza.

Dates and Locations:

Saturday, October 18th – 9 am to 2 pm
St. George CENYC Greenmarket – Staten Island
St. Mark’s and Hyatt
Saturday, October 18th – 9 am to 2 pm
Sunset Park CENYC Greenmarket – Brooklyn
4th Ave. between 59th and 60th Streets
Sunday, October 19th – 9 am to 2 pm
92nd Street CENYC Greenmarket – Upper Manhattan
1st Ave. and East 92nd Street
Saturday, October 25th – 9 am to 2 pm (It’s My Park! Day)
Atlas Park Greenmarket – Queens
Cooper Ave at 80th Street
Saturday, October 25th – 10 am to 3 pm (It’s My Park! Day)
Crotona Park Fall Harvest Festival – Bronx
Fulton Avenue and Crotona Park North

Urban Forestry

Links

MillionTreesNYC
New York Restoration Project

Ditmas Park West Tree Planting

Posted on 2008-04-27 by admin

Updated 2008.04.29: Added link to Anne Pope’s Sustainable Flatbush post and Flickr photo set.

This morning I helped, for the first time, to plant a street tree. It had rained overnight and was still raining when we started. Just one word to sum it all up:

MUD

Ditmas Park West is one of the neighborhoods of Victorian Flatbush. It’s bounded by Cortelyou Road and Newkirk Avenue to the north and south, and Coney Island Avenue and the B/Q subway cut to the west and east. Over 25 years, Ditmas Park West has planted over 300 trees, averaging more than 10 trees each year.

About 25 people showed up this morning and fanned out to different locations. 6 or 7 trees got planted today. The crew of 10 or so I went with had two jobs: clear trash from a vacant lot and dig out a tree pit for a new tree to be planted.

The realities of urban street planting are not so idyllic as our vision of leafy green streets. First, we had to break through a few inches of concrete dumped over asphalt. Bob was handy with the ax.

Beneath all that, we had some not so bad, if compacted, clay.

Once the tree was delivered we measured the depth of our dig and compared it to the height of the root ball.

And kept digging until we got to the right level.

Then we rolled the tree into place …

… filled in around the base, leveled, and stabilized the tree …

… and began filling in and tamping down.

Once the tree was stable, we cut off the twine and removed burlap from the top of the ball. Roots got pulled out and spread out as we went along.

Meanwhile, in the adjacent vacant lot, our comrades had done an incredible job clearing trash and rubbish.

I look forward to future greening opportunities. I need some good work boots for next time.

Flickr photo set
Plant Trees in Ditmas Park West

Links

Ditmas Park West Tree Planting, Sustainable Flatbush
Many more photos from Anne Pope of Sustainable Flatbush

[where: 400 Stratford Road, Brooklyn, NY 11218]

Flatbush Gardener

Urban Habitat Gardening with Native Plants

Tag Archives: Trees

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