From the Library: Discovering the Trees of NYC

Posted in From the Library on October 4 2012, by Matt Newman

Mia D’Avanza is a Reference Librarian for The LuEsther T. Mertz Library.

Because the Mertz Library is open to the public, we serve a wide variety of patrons, from second graders learning the many parts of a flower, to NYBG scientists conducting rigorous botanical research. Field Guide to the Street Trees of New York City lands squarely in the middle of that spectrum. Serving as a focused complement to Leslie Day’s previous work, Field Guide to the Natural World of New York City, this beautifully illustrated and photo-heavy book is full of helpful information for anyone who has ever wondered what kinds of trees shade the city.

As a thorough guide, the book even provides the addresses of places in each of the five boroughs where you can view a live example of each profiled tree. I grabbed it off of the shelf with the idea of identifying a large tree I’d seen at the top of Marcus Garvey Park, near the historic Fire Tower; I was quickly able to identify the tree I’d seen as the London Plane (Platanus x acerifolia), NYC’s most common tree and a regular at the NYBG. You’ll know it by its large, spiked “seed balls” and almost mottled bark.

The “Field Guide” also discusses the history of street trees in New York City, and serves as a good overview for some of the stresses that city trees face, as well as some of the challenges of requesting and establishing trees in your own neighborhood. In the “Tree People” section, it goes on to interview some of New York’s foremost authorities, including the NYBG’s mapping and tree-climbing expert, Wayne Cahilly. Further, it has fun information on the origins of many tree names. For example, the Honey Locust is named for the sweet pulp of its seeds and fruit, which has been fermented throughout history to make beer. A thoughtful guide to tree terminology and an illustrated glossary close out the book to help bring anyone who has forgotten their botany up to speed, making Field Guide to the Street Trees of New York City a welcome addition to any green-thumbed New Yorker’s bookshelf.

The LuEsther T. Mertz Library is home to tens of thousands of  texts on botany, horticulture, and landscape architecture, many of which are available for the visiting public to enjoy. Head to our official Library page for more on membership, circulating collections, and weekly access. And keep an eye on Plant Talk for further additions to our “From the Library” series.