Trees on the Yale Nature Walk

The dawn redwood is a fast growing decidious tree and a true "living fossil," because its fossilized remains were discovered before living plants were found. It dominated forests of the Northern Hemisphere before almost going extinct in the Age of Mammals. It was saved from extinction in the 1940's and can be found today in parks and large gardens at heights of 200 ft tall and up.

The Gleditsia triacanthos, or honey locust as its commonly called, is a decidious tree native to the central United States. It blooms relatively late in the spring and produces yellow leaves in autumn. The tree gets its name from the sweet, sticky pulp it produces. Alternatively, the tree is known as the "thorny" locust due to the spines or thorns that it bears on wood of its main trunk or the base of its branches. The honey locust has also historically been used for a wide variety of medicinal practices, particularly in Native American culture. Today, the honey locust has a number of applications: its fruit is used in agriculture to feed livestock; its dense wood is used to make furniture and fences; and its unique compounds may have medicinal uses for treating diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and cancer. This honey locust is located at the corner of Yale University Science Hill parking lot near the intersection of Whitney Avenue and Bishop Street.

This ginkgo tree is located in the backyard of President Peter Salovey's house, between Hillhouse and Whitney Avenue. A living fossil, Ginkgo biloba has been found in fossils from as far back as 270 million years ago. The species originated in China and has a history of being used for medicinal purposes. Ginkgo trees are prized in Asia because of their importance in Buddhism and can be found in palace and temple gardens. They are a hearty species and survive well in cities so can also be found in devleoped areas from New York City to Tokyo. Before its foliage has been lost, the tree can be easily recognized by its unique fan-shaped leaves. The foliage turns from green to a golden-yellow color in the fall. Male trees are preferred because female trees produce fruit that emits a foul odor.

Liquidambar styraciflua is known as the American sweetgum. It is a deciduous tree that can be found in southeastern U.S., as well as southern Mexico and Central America. The sweetgum is a fast-growing tree that develops a significant taproot that tolerate high moisture levels in soil. It is used for its lumber, and is one of the most common sources of hardwood and plywood, but also produces spectacular colors as it drops its leaves in the fall. The sweetgum is a monoecious species and is pollinated primarily by wind. The sweetgum produces a resin that can harden and be used for chewing gum as well as medicinal purposes. Some other fun facts about the American sweetgum include that it provides protection and food for many forest animals, including squirrels, deer, doves, and chipmunks. It can be especially resistant to attack by insects, which makes them very helpful trees in reforestation projects and reclamations of former mineral mines. Finally, sweetgum trees can fix nitrogen and promote soil health. Our American sweetgum is situated in a beautiful green area between OML and Kroon Hall. It offers a calming presence in the heart of the science buildings at Yale, and is surely a special tree to observe, especially in the autumn.