Unscientific Survey: Tree City, USA
Anyone who has driven into town has surely noticed the sign declaring that Swarthmore is “Tree City USA.” Naïvely, I always assumed we were THE Tree City, but it turns out that there are more than 3,400 of them across the country, and 115 in Pennsylvania, that have met the exacting standards of the Arbor Day Foundation.
Still, we must be among the tree-est Tree Cities, as anyone with a nose beset by seasonal allergies or an eye charmed by soaring canopies can attest. In honor of the many leafy lovely poems in our town, we’ve decided to poll our readers to select Swarthmore’s Favorite Tree, as nominated by a panel of experts.
We urge you to see as many of the candidate trees as you can before voting. You can view them one at a time or, if you’re ambitious, on one expansive stroll using this zoomable Google map (complete with suggested walking route), or by glancing at the map below.
And here are descriptions.
This map shows the candidates for Swarthmore’s Favorite Tree. Please visit all nine and then vote. And here’s an idea for a kid-friendly summer activity that tree-loving adults will enjoy, too. Take a selfie with as many of the nominated trees as you can and post each one to Instagram or Facebook, using the hashtag #SwarthmoreTrees. Tag us @swarthmorean. We have five Swarthmorean T-shirts to give away to folks who post a complete set — just be sure to let us know when you’ve done it. (We’ll have a raffle if there are more than five of you.) Thanks for participating!
The majestic Zelkova (Zelkova serrata) on the Swarthmore College campus between Chester Road and the Mertz Residence Hall has a perfect Heritage Score. This tree is only one surviving of two seedlings received by Dr. John Wister from the Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters in 1929. The trunk of this Heritage Tree measures 154” in diameter (12.8’ circumference); the canopy spreads 45’ wide; and the height is 55’. The overall condition of this specimen is excellent, which is rare for a tree this age. (Nominated by Mary Tipping, curator and plant recorder at the Scott Arboretum. For information about Heritage Trees, see swat.ink/heritage-trees.)
Persian ironwood (Parrotia persica) located along the split rail fence at Cunningham Field. Mary Tipping refers to it as her “gentle giant” since it tends to be overlooked but continues to amaze her when she visits it. (Nominated by M.T.)
Paperbark maple (Acer griseum) at 210 Elm Ave. This is a very fine specimen of the paperbark maple, a very slow growing tree with exquisite bark. (Nominated by Andrew Bunting, vice president of public horticulture at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and vice president of the Swarthmore Horticultural Society.)
The Penn oak at 504 Walnut Lane. This is an old white oak (Quercus alba) located in the front yard of a large home on the southwest corner of Walnut and Hillborn avenues. It can be easily seen from the street. It’s called the Penn oak because it was alive at the time William Penn established the colony of Pennsylvania in the late 1600s. (Penn died in 1718.) This would make the tree at least 400 years old. It is very likely the oldest tree in Swarthmore, and arguably has the greatest historical significance. (Nominated by David Page, chair of the Swarthmore Tree Committee.)
Willow oak (Quercus phellos) at 612 Ogden Ave. Located just around the corner from the Penn oak, this is one of the loveliest trees in Swarthmore. It is very large and healthy, with a towering crown, and few or no dead or dying limbs to mar its appearance. It graces the front yard just a few feet off the road, is easily viewed, and must be one of the most majestic and awesome trees we have. (Nominated by D.P. )
American elm (Ulmus americana) near Sharples Lane in Swarthmore College’s Scott Arboretum. This elm is one of the biggest in the state. Given the beauty of American elms, the age and size of this specimen, and the history of this tree as a landscape plant in the United States and as a survivor of Dutch elm disease, it is one to admire and respect. (Nominated by Claire Sawyers, director of the arboretum. Mary Tipping adds: “There’s no doubt that this tree is amazing when viewed from afar. But the experience of seeing the size of the surface roots and the moss that grows on them makes the experience magical.”)
Dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) at 222 Cornell Ave. One of the finest dawn redwoods in cultivation, this tree most likely began life as a seedling from the Arnold Arboretum at Harvard University. The tree was discovered in Hubei, China in 1943, by a local forester. Seeds and seedlings were distributed to Arnold and other botanical institutions shortly thereafter. How the house on Cornell got a plant is unclear, but the owners may have been friends or colleagues of John Wister at the Scott Arboretum, who would have gotten distributions. (Nominated by A.B.)
Northern catalpa (Catalpa speciosa), 501 Harvard Ave., near the driveway on the Rutgers Avenue side of the property. This is a magnificent stately specimen, well-placed in a residential setting. It’s covered with white flowers in early June. (Nominated by Charles Cresson, horticulturist and member of the Swarthmore Tree Committee.)
Sugar maple (Acer saccharum) at 214 Harvard Ave. This is one of Swarthmore’s original street trees, planted perhaps around 1900. Many of the original streets in Swarthmore were lined with sugar maples, and some of the best still can be found on Harvard Avenue. (Nominated by A.B.)
You can make your selection at: swat.ink/favorite-tree-survey.
