At 843 acres, New York City's Central Park contains a remarkably diverse collection of tree species from around the world. It is an excellent place to learn tree identification, taxonomy and individual specimen variations within a species or genus. While living in Manhattan, Central Park became my stomping ground— a respite from city's slot canyons, noise and exhaust, and a place in which to connect with the living versions of woods with which I was working.

The goal of the Central Park Tree Project is to document a few individuals of Central Park. Rather than a tree identification or specific location guide, the pictures are an attempt to share the beauty and feeling of the tree itself— sometimes difficult to capture. The pictures and my pilgrimages to the trees remind me constantly to do my best work. For the definitive map and guide for Central Park trees, check out the exhaustive documentation of Edward Sibley Barnard and Ken Chaya here.

Common Name

Scientific Name

Example Locations

Pictures

Hedge maple

Acer campestre

E Drive W of Cedar Hill

Japanese maple

Acer palmatum

Tavern on the Green; The Pond

Norway maple

Acer platanoides

Widespread

Sycamore maple

Acer pseudoplatanus

Near Balto; W Bridle Path S of 90th entrance

Red maple

Acer rubrum

Left of Bandshell at Mall; E Drive at Met; Harlem Meer

Silver maple

Acer saccharinum

Bridle Path at 65th Transverse

Sugar maple

Acer saccharum

Conservatory Water; W of Park Drive at 97th Transverse

Amur maple

Acer tartaricum

W 93rd entrance; Bridle Path near N Ballfields

American buckeye

Aesculus glabra

Near W 100th entrance; W side of The Pond

Common horsechestnut

Aesculus hippocastanum

E side of Meer; E Bridle Path by Reservoir; widespread

Red buckeye

Aesculus pavia

Near W 100th entrance

Red horschestnut

Aesculus x carnea

W Park boundary between 87th and 88th

Ailanthus/Tree of heaven

Ailanthus altissima

S Drive North of Artisan's Gate; Cat Rock

Serviceberry

Amelanchier spp.

N end of The Lake

Devil's walkingstick

Aralia spinosa

Bridle Path S end of Reservoir

Yellow birch

Betula alleghaniensis

SW corner of Sheep Meadow

Black birch

Betula lenta

S of The Glade

River birch/Water birch

Betula nigra

W park boundary at 98th; SW edge of Great Lawn

Paper birch/Canoe birch

Betula papyrifera

W side of The Lake

Silver birch

Betula pendula

S of Tavern on the Green

Silver birch 'Lacinata'

Betula pendula var. lacinata

W 85th entrance; Pinetum

Grey birch

Betula populifolia

N Woods just above The Pool

European Hornbeam

Carpinus betulus

Bridle Path at NW corner of Reservoir

American hornbeam

Carpinus caroliniana

NE corner great lawn; Bridle Path at W Reservoir

Pignut hickory

Carya glabra

N path above The Pool

Shagbark hickory

Carya ovata

Ramble near central Lake shore

Mockernut hickory

Carya tomentosa

NE corner of The Pool; North Lake; E of Bandshell

Southern catalpa

Catalpa bignoniodes

SW of Wollman Rink

Northern catalpa

Catalpa speciosa

Grove W of E Park Drive at Cedar Hill

Atlas cedar

Cedrus atlantica

W Side Cherry Walk at Reservoir

Cedar of Lebanon

Cedrus libani

W of E 69th entrance; between Park Drive and Wollman Rink

Common hackberry

Celtis occidentalis

N of Tavern on the Green; Between Reservoir and N tennis courts

Katsuratree

Cercidiphyllum japonicum

W entrance to Strawberry fields

Eastern redbud

Cercis canadensis

86th East entrance; widspread

Yellowwood

Cladrastis kentukea

Park Drive S of Chess and Checkers; NE corner Great Lawn

Turkish filbert

Corlyus maxima

N of Conservatory Water

Flowering dogwood

Cornus florida

E 85th entrance; Summit Rock; widespread

Kousa dogwood

Cornus kousa

E 85th entrance; widspread

Cornilian cherry

Cornus mas

N edge of The Pond; widespread

Cockspur hawthorn

Crataegus crus-galli

NW side Great Lawn

Downy hawthorn

Crataegus mollis

Bridle Path at SW Reservoir

English hawthorn

Crataegus monogyna

W paths between 97th and 100th

Washington hawthorn

Crataegus phaenopyrum

W Park Drive below Summit Rock

American beech

Fagus grandifolia

Park boundary S of The Glade; N Woods near Block House

European beech

Fagus sylvatica

NE corner Cedar Hill; Bridle Path NE corner of Reservoir

Cutleaf beech

Fagus grandifolia cultivar

Cherry Hill above Wagner Cove

White ash

Fraxinus americana

N Park Drive; S of Conservatory Water

Green ash/Red ash

Fraxinus pennsylvanica

W Drive at 79th Transverse

Magnolia

Genus Magnolia, many species

NW Corner of Met; widespread

Ginkgo

Ginkgo biloba

Large specimens W park boundary at 81st; widespread

Honeylocust

Gleditsia triacanthos

Reservoir W Cherry Walk; E Drive by The Mall

Kentucky coffeetree

Gymnocladus dioicus

N of E Meadow playground

Carolina silverbell

Halesia carolina

Bridle Path S Reservoir

Witch hazel

Hamamelis virginiana

Harlem Meer overlook; Bridle Path S Reservoir

English holly

Ilex aquifolium

S end of Poet's Alley; The Ramble; East 66th entrance

American holly

Ilex opaca

S end of Poet's Alley; The Ramble

Common juniper

Juniperus communis

Outlet to Wollman Rink

Eastern red cedar

Juniperus virginiana

N side of Cedar Hill

Goldenraintree

Koelruteria paniculata

W side Cherry Walk S entrance; N of E 90th entrance

Crape myrtle

Lagerstromeia spp.

N of Conservatory Water

Eastern larch/Tamarack

Larix laricina

Wollman Meadow below Chess and Checkers; W Drive near 81st

American sweetgum

Liquidambar styraciflua

N Woods near block house; S end Great Lawn

Tuliptree/Yellow poplar

Liriodendron tulipfera

Cherry Hill; NW corner Met

Osage orange

Maclura pomifera

Central Drive at S end Carosel; Park Drive W of Meer

Southern magnolia

Magnolia grandiflora

SE of The Mall by 65th Transverse

Crabapple

Malus spp.

Hamilton Lawn; Obelisk; Sheep Meadow; W 81st entrance

Dawn redwood

Metasequoia glyptostroboides

N of Strawberry Fields

White mulberry

Morus alba

Denesmouth Arch

Red mulberry

Morus rubra

SE of tennis courts at N Reservoir

Black tupelo

Nyssa sylvatica

The Ramble near lake; S edge of The Pool; N of Conservatory Water

Royal paulownia

Paulonia tomentosa

Cherry Hill; SW of Hechsher Playground; Bridle Path at 70th; N Woods

Amur cork tree

Phellodendron amurense

W Drive at 79th Transverse

Colorado blue spruce

Picea pungens

N of Conservatory Water

Japanese red pine

Pinus densiflora

Pinetum

Austrian pine

Pinus nigra

Pinetum

Red pine

Pinus resinosa

Pinetum

Pitch pine

Pinus rigida

Pinetum

White pine

Pinus strobus

Pinetum

Himalayan pine

Pinus wallichiana

Pinetum

Limber pine

Pinus flexilis

Pinetum

Japanese white pine 'glauca'

Pinus parviflora

Pinetum

Korean pine

Pinus koraiensis

Pinetum

Japanese black pine

Pinus thunbergii

Pinetum

Lacebark pine

Pinus bungeana

Pinetum

Swiss stone pine

Pinus cembra

Pinetum

London planetree

Platanus x hispanica

N End of Reservoir; widespread

Eastern cottonwood

Populus deltoides

N of tennis courts by 97th Transverse

Black cherry

Prunus serotina

Cob Cot E; Reservoir N end

Kwanzan cherry

Prunus serotina

Reservoir E

Choke cherry

Prunus virginiana

Ramble and N Woods; widespread

Yoshino cherry

Prunus x yedoensis

E Reservoir

Sawtooth oak

Quercus acutissima

Sheep meadow; Cedar Hill; NW corner Met

Eastern white oak

Quercus alba

Bridle path N Reservoir; top of Harlem Hill

Swamp white oak

Quercus bicolor

Turkey oak

Quercus cerris

S end Reservoir

Shingle oak

Quercus imbricaria

Pilgrim Hill by E Drive N of 72nd entrance

Willow oak

Quercus phellos

In front of Loeb Boathouse

Chestnut oak

Quercus prinus

Pilgrim Hill above Conservatory Water

English oak

Quercus robur

Park boundary N of E 72nd entrance

Northern red oak

Quercus rubra

Great Lawn; Carosel

Staghorn sumac

Rhus typhina or R. hirta

N of E 97th Transverse

Black locust

Robinia pseudoacacia

Cob Cot; N end Reservoir; Carosel; Strawberry Fields

Weeping willow

Salix babylonica

The Lake; Harlem Meer; The Pool; Wollman Rink

Common sassafras

Sassafras albidum

N Woods walks; Bridle Path E Reservoir

Umbrella pine

Sciadopitys verticillata

Pinetum

Japanese tree lilac

Syringa reticulata

Lilac walk- dirt path NE edge of Sheep meadow

Common baldcypress

Taxodium distichum

The Pool; E Harlem Meer

Canadian yew

Taxus canadensis

Conservatory Garden

Japanese yew

Taxus cuspidata

W Obelisk

American linden

Tilia americana

Bridle Path N Reservoir

Littleleaf linden

Tilia cordata

Rustic Playground N of Children's Zoo; W 91st entrance

Bigleaf linden

Tilia platyphyllos

Bridle Path N Reservoir

Silver linden

Tilia tomentosa

Great Lawn

Canadian hemlock

Tsuga canadensis

Park boundary S of W 91st entrance

American elm

Ulmus americana

Poet's Alley; widespread

Wych elm

Ulmus glabra

N woods near outlet to The Pool

Siberian elm

Ulmus pumila

Pinetum; Great Lawn

Japanese Zelkova

Zelkova serrata

N of Sheep Meadow