Trees on the Yale Nature Walk

Latin Name

Flowering dogwood

Tree ID: 195

Date of tree entry: February 3, 2026

This flowering dogwood stands in a landscaped bed beside the building, surrounded by dense ivy and a cluster of white spring flowers. Although the tree is still leafing out, its branching structure is clearly visible, with a small bird’s nest tucked into the upper branches. The tree’s canopy is beginning to show new growth, and the greater concentration of flowers near the upper portion suggests that the top of the tree receives more direct sunlight than the shaded lower branches. Its position between the walkway, groundcover, and nearby building makes it a good example of how flowering dogwoods can survive as ornamental understory trees in managed urban campus spaces.

Witch Hazel

Hamamelis virginiana

Tree ID: 192

Prospect and Sachem

Date of tree entry: February 3, 2026

Hamamelis virginiana, commonly known as American witch hazel, is a deciduous shrub with fragrant, tendrilous yellow flowers that bloom from mid-October through early December. The bark and leaves can be distilled into an astringent extract long used in folk medicine and modern skincare. This particular specimen grows among a row of witch hazels bordering the courtyard of Sterling Chemistry Laboratory, where it stands out within a mix of native and introduced species. Witch hazel is a member of the Hamamelidaceae family which is widely spread across the globe and is adapted to a diverse of temperate environments.

Black Oak Tree

Quercus Velutina

Tree ID: 197

Marsh and Farnam Gardens

Date of tree entry: April 19, 2026

Black oak, also scientifically known as Quercus velutina, is a deciduous tree known for its dark, rough bark. Its leaves are lobed with pointed tips. The leaves are glossy green in summer but turn yellow, orange, or reddish-brown in fall. The tree produces acorns. These provide an important food source for wildlife, including squirrels, deer, and birds. Black oak trees have strong root systems and are well-adapted to dry, rocky soils (Sander 1990).

Eastern Redbud

Cercis canadensis

Tree ID: 194

Prospect and Sachem

Date of tree entry: February 3, 2026

Eastern Redbud, or Cercis canadensis, is a small tree in the Fabaceae (legume) family native to eastern North America, surviving across a wide range of climate regions. Though they live across a range of climates, they do best in moist soil. They are an important plant for many pollinating bee species, including honey bees, carpenter bees, bumble bees, and many others. As a member of the legume family, the flowers develop seed pods during the summer, which birds will often eat. Their leaves are eaten by the caterpillars of some butterfly and moth species. Popular as an ornamental tree for its vivid pink-magenta buds and flowers in the spring, the Eastern Redbud is unique in developing flowers directly on older branches. The Eastern Redbud is a dicot angiosperm, and its flowers typically possess 5 small, oval-shaped petals, and these flowers are typically found in clusters along the branches of the tree. They also possess wide, heart-shaped leaves. The Eastern Redbud is a beautiful and versatile plant, and while we use them for decorative purposes, they play an important role in their ecosystem.

Paperbark maple

Acer griseum

Tree ID: 199

Prospect and Sachem

Date of tree entry: February 3, 2026

Originating from the mountainous regions of central China, the paperbark maple is a small deciduous tree characterized by its highly textured trunk. It typically grows to a height of 6 to 9 meters with a matching canopy spread. Unlike most maples, its leaves are split into three distinct leaflets and its trunk continuously sheds thin papery layers of bark to expose a vibrant cinnamon-colored underlayer. The tree prefers well-drained, moist soils and grows best in full sun to partial shade. Due to poor natural seed viability and habitat loss, the paperbark maple is currently considered an endangered species in its native environment. However, it is widely cultivated and protected as an ornamental landscape tree across North America and Europe.

Eastern Redbud

Cersis canadensis

Tree ID: 203

Prospect and Sachem

Date of tree entry: February 4, 2026

American Beech Tree

Fagus grandifolia

Tree ID: 198

Prospect and Sachem

Date of tree entry: February 3, 2026

This American Beech tree is nestled next to Sloane Physics Laboratory, where it lies along a well-traveled part of Science Hill. If you were standing beneath it, you might notice the Yuttle driving by each day as students make their way to class. The tree is known for its smooth, light gray bark and its wide canopy of dark green leaves. It also produces small nuts called beechnuts, which provide food for animals such as squirrels, deer, and birds. In the fall, its leaves turn a golden brown, and many remain on the branches through winter, a trait called marcescence. In early spring, the tree develops both male and female flowers; the male flowers appear as drooping catkins that release pollen to fertilize the smaller female flowers. Because it has both types of flowers on the same tree, the American Beech is classified as monoecious.