To return to the trees of the Charles Watershed, this post will have more information about the 10 most common trees in my area of the greater Boston area according to the 2021 citywide tree audit. The trees below are in order from most common to least common for my area and I took special note of the ones I could identify as I explored these last weeks.
Honeylocust
Common Names: Honey-locust, Honeylocust
Species: Gleditsia triacanthos
Status: least concern, native
Characteristics:
- Grow to heights between 20 to 30 meters
- lifespan of 120 to 150 years
- Each tree produces male and female structures
- Create a 15cm seed pod which are distributed when animals eat, transport, and them excrete seeds along with manure which acts as fertilizer
- Leaves turn yellow in the fall, and appear bright green in warmer months
- Large thorns grow along honey locust trunks, these thorns are too large to protect against small herbivores
Facts:
- 19.2% representation in the 2021 inventory
- Native to central North America, with eastern Mass as some of the very reaches of it's range
- They prefer moist, well drained soil
- Often planted in city parks and residential areas, especially the thornless Honeylocust variety, because of the shade it provides and resilience
Sources:
Honey Locust. (2024) Red-tail Land Conservatory. https://fortheland.org/honey-locust/
Honey Locust. (2024) The Morton Arboretum. https://mortonarb.org/plant-and-protect/trees-and-plants/honey-locust/#overview
Littleleaf Linden
Image Source: Paul Radomski
Common Names: Littleleaf Linden, Little-Leaf Linden, Small Leaf Lime Tree, Small-leaved Lime
Species: Tilia cordata
Status: least concern, native to western Europe
Characteristics:
- Grow to 50 to 70 feet in height, and 35 to 50 feet of spread
- Deciduous
- Gray Brown bark, smooth in young trees and grows ridged over time
- Leaves change from medium green in summer to clear yellow in fall
- Produce hanging, yellow flower clusters in summer
Facts:
- 16% representation in the 2021 inventory
- Provides attractive shade, and tolerates urban conditions well
- May be grown as a hedge, and tolerates heavy pruning
- Attract butterflies and bees
Sources:
Little-leaved linden. (2024) The Morton Arboretum. https://mortonarb.org/plant-and-protect/trees-and-plants/little-leaved-linden/#more-information
Tila cordata. (2024) Missouri Botanical Garden. https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=a918
Tila Cordata. (2024) North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/tilia-cordata/
Common Names:
Species:
Status: least concern, invasive, native to Europe and western Asia
Characteristics:
- Grow 40 to 50 feet high, and spread 35 to 50 feet
- Commonly confused with the Sugar Maple although the Norway Maple has large levees that turn yellow instead of the Sugars orange/red. Norway Maples are identified easier by a thick white sap while the Sugar Maple produces clear sap. The tips of leaves are also blunter than Sugar Maples.
- Produce helicopter like fruit with spreading wings
- Deciduous
- Produce small yellow flower clusters from April to May
- Tolerant of urban conditions for compacted soil, limited root space, and air pollution
Facts:
- 14.8% representation in the 2021 inventory
- First imported to the US in 1756 via seedlings from England for a private garden and nursery
- Norway Maples were planted after elm tree populations were damaged by Dutch Elm Disease in many cites
- The flying seeds of the Norway Maple assist in it's invasive spread
- The Norway Maple may release chemicals into the soil to prevent growth of other plants
- A combination of physical removal for young trees and repeated chemical control is suggested to manage
Sources:
Hunt, Evan. (2023) Invasive Species Spotlight: Norway Maple. Brandywine Conservatory. https://www.brandywine.org/conservancy/blog/invasive-species-spotlight-norway-maple
Norway Maple. (2024) New York Invasive Species Information. https://nyis.info/species/norway-maple/
Norway Maple. (2024) The Morton Arboretum. https://mortonarb.org/plant-and-protect/trees-and-plants/norway-maple-not-recommended/
Red Maple
Image source: Paul Radomski
Common Names: Swamp Maple
Species: Acer rubrum
Status: not listed, native
Characteristics:
- Grow 40 to 60 ft tall and spread 35 to 45 feet
- Deciduous
- Red Maples can thrive in wetlands but prefer deep acidic soil. This versatility is in part because of a rood system that can adapt to wet or dry soil.
- Wet soil: short taproot and long lateral roots
- Dry soil: long taproot and short lateral roots
- Known for bright red coloring in fall, although Red Maples can have yellow and orange colorings
- winged fruit help to spread new trees
Facts:
- 9.1% representation in the 2021 inventory
- Red Maples can out compete other trees after wild fires because of their fast growth rate
- Moose, deer, and rabbits control Red Maple populations
- Red Maples are vulnerable to fungal rots and the maple leafhopper
- Red Maples can be used to make syrup
Sources:
Red Maple. (2024) The Morton Arboretum. https://mortonarb.org/plant-and-protect/trees-and-plants/red-maple/#care-knowledge
Red Maple. (2024) The National Wildlife Federation. https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Plants-and-Fungi/Red-Maple
Pin Oak
Image Source: Malkin, Julie https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=qupa2
Common Names:
Species: Quercus palustris
Status: least concern, native
Characteristics:
- Grow to heights of 60 to 70 feet, and spreads 40 to 50 feet
- Fast growth rate
- Deciduous
- Produce small round acorns with a thin cap
- Deep green leaves with ridges and lobes
- Acorns sink in water, but still manage to be spread by streams and rivers
- Pin Oaks are are more common in southern and mid-western states, but reach into New England and MA. Pin Oaks in Main are considered introduced and beyond their natural range.
Facts:
- 8.8% representation in the 2021 inventory
- Often planted in residential areas and parks, only needing management during the first few years of growth
- Prefers wet, acidic soil
- Gypsy moths and grazing livestock can threaten Pin Oak saplings, and flooding can be deadly at any stage in life
- Oak wilt and oak blisters are potential vulnerabilities
- Chlorosis, yellowing of leaves, mean that Pin Oaks do better in acidic soils
Sources:
Pin Oak. (2024) The Morton Arboretum. https://mortonarb.org/plant-and-protect/trees-and-plants/pin-oak/#overview
Quercus palustris — pin oak. (2024) Ivan L. Sander https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/quercus/palustris/
The TWC Staff. (2015) Quercus palustris. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=qupa2
USDA NRCS New York State Office. (2002) Pin Oak. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. https://plants.usda.gov/DocumentLibrary/factsheet/pdf/fs_qupa2.pdf
Northern Red Oak
Image Source: Paul Radomski
Common Names:
Species:
Status:
Characteristics:
- Grow 60 to 75 feet, and spread 60 to 75 ft
- produce yellow gold flowers
- Bark is grey and covered in scaly ridges
- Leaves are dark green with 7 to 11 lobes, turn red in fall
- acorns take 2 years to develop and act as an important part of some indigenous diets
Facts:
- 8.2% representation in the 2021 inventory
- Slightly poisonous to humans, can cause stomach pains followed by constipation and diarrhea
- Attracts butterflies, moths, hummingbirds, and pollinators
- Prefer acidic, moist, well drained soil
Sources:
Sander, I. (1957) Northern Red Oak. USDA. https://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/misc/ag_654/volume_2/quercus/rubra.htm
Red Oak. (2024) The Morton Arboretum. https://mortonarb.org/plant-and-protect/trees-and-plants/northern-red-oak/#more-information
Quercus rubra. (2024). North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/quercus-rubra/
Japanese Zelkova
Image source: Morton Arboretum https://mortonarb.org/plant-and-protect/trees-and-plants/japanese-zelkova/
Common Names: Japanese Elm, Keyaki, Kaeki
Species: Zelkova serrata
Status: Near Threatened, native to Japan, Taiwan, and eastern China
Characteristics:
- Grow 50 to 80 ft, spread 50 to 75 ft
- Deciduous
- Leaves have alternating serrated edges
- Great at producing shade
- Vulnerable to damage from frost and cold conditions
- Smooth grey bark grows to be orange-brown as trees age
Facts:
- 6.6% representation in the 2021 inventory
- Tolerant of air pollution
- Resilient to Dutch Elm disease
- Japanese Zelkova are sometimes promoted as a replacement for the American elm
Sources:
Japanese zelkova. (2024) The Morton Arboretum. https://mortonarb.org/plant-and-protect/trees-and-plants/japanese-zelkova/
Zelkova serrata. (2024) Missouri Botanical Garden. https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=a927
London Planetree
Image Source: Paul Radomski
Common Names: Maple leaved plane tree
Species: Platanus x acerifolia
Status: no status, non-native hybrid
Characteristics:
- Grow 70 to 100 ft tall and spread 65 to 80 feet
- light brown bark grows to be creamy olive colored
- Similar in appearance to the
American sycamore but with deeper sinuses in leaves and the fruiting balls grow in pairs instead of singularly - Female flower produces fuzzy bristly fruit balls
- branching on leaves alternate, in contrast to maples whose leaves branch in mirrored opposites
Facts:
- 6% representation in the 2021 inventory
- A hybrid of the American sycamore and Oriental plane that was first discovered in the 17th century
- London Planetree roots can lift sidewalks and entangle sewer pipes
Sources:
London Planetree (2024) Morton Arboretum. https://mortonarb.org/plant-and-protect/trees-and-plants/london-planetree/#more-information
Bracewell, R. (2005) Platanus × hispanica. Trees of stanford. https://trees.stanford.edu/ENCYC/PLATace.htm
Hedge Maple
Image Source: NC State Extension https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/acer-campestre/
Common Names: Field Maple
Species: Acer campestre
Status: native to Europe and Western Asia
Characteristics:
- Grow to 25 to 35 feet tall, and spread to 25 to 35 feet wide
- Lighter green leaves with three to five lobes, that turn yellow in the fall
- Deciduous
- Grow aggressively as hedges when pruned which can block other plants, can quickly become invasive
- gray/black bark
- Produce winged fruit and milky sap
Facts:
- 5.9% representation in the 2021 inventory
- Attract birds, pollinators, and small mammals
- Easy to transplant because of shallow root systems
Sources:
Acer campestre. (2024) The North Caroline Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/acer-campestre/
Hedge Maple. (2024). The Morton Arboretum. https://mortonarb.org/plant-and-protect/trees-and-plants/hedge-maple-not-recommended/
Accolade Elm
Image Source: John Hagstrom, the Morton Arboretum https://mortonarb.org/plant-and-protect/trees-and-plants/accolade-elm/
Common Names: Morton elm
Species: Ulmus japonica x Ulmus wilsoniana
Status: hybrid, non-native
Characteristics:
- Grow 50 to 60 feet tall, spread 30 to 40 feet wide
- Glossy green leaves which yellow in the fall
- This is a hybrid produced by the Morton Arboretum in Illinois between Ulmus japonica and Ulmus wilsoniana for its resistance to Dutch Elm Disease
- Bark is gray and ridge
- Winged seeds
Facts:
- 5.5% representation in the 2021 inventory
- Thrive in moist, well drained soil
Sources:
ACCOLADE™ elm. (2024) The Morton Arboretum. https://mortonarb.org/plant-and-protect/trees-and-plants/accolade-elm/
Ulmus 'Morton' ACCOLADE. (2024) Missouri Botanical Garden. https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=d469
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