Historic Tree Walk. City of Norcross. A walking tour of common and unique trees in the City of Norcross

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1 Historic Tree Walk City of Norcross A walking tour of common and unique trees in the City of Norcross 2008

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3 Welcome W elcome to the City of Norcross self-guided historic tree walk. Norcross is Gwinnett County's second oldest city and was founded in 1870 by J. J. Thrasher and named for his good friend Jonathan Norcross, a former Mayor of Atlanta. Norcross encompasses 4.5 square miles, and features a 112-acre Historic District, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The historic downtown area has picturesque rows of restored narrow brick buildings illuminated by old-fashioned street lamps and lined with crape myrtles, dogwoods and inviting benches. The Historic District is home to all the classic styles of southern architecture, from Victorian residences to antebellum mansions. These beautiful homes have been restored by private residents helping preserve the hometown southern charm of the City. Stately southern pines and magnificent old oak trees provide a cool, lacy canopy of shade for a relaxing walk through the Historic District. The City of Norcross contains a variety of common and unique trees. This half-mile walk through the City s Historic District highlights some of the species found throughout Georgia. Of special note, the American Elm tree in Betty Mauldin Park is the second largest elm in the state of Georgia. The following pages contain a map of the Tree Walk path, as well as a description of each tree including botanical name, and history of the species. The City of Norcross is a proud member of Tree City USA. The Tree City USA program provides direction, assistance, attention, and national recognition for urban and community forestry programs in thousands of towns and cities that more than 120 million Americans call home. 1

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5 Norcross Garden Club 1 Willow Oak (Quercus phellos). Willow oak is a medium to large southern oak frequently reaching 90 to 100 feet high that has rapid growth and a long life. It is commonly found on flat and low grounds from the coastal plain into the piedmont from New Jersey south to Georgia; and west into the Mississippi Valley. The willow-like leaves and ease of transplanting make this tree a popular choice for urban uses. This tree loses its leaves each fall and it is in the red oak group of oaks that take two years to produce a mature crop of acorns. Leaves: Simple, 1½ to 5½ inches long and 1/3 to 1-inch wide. Linear in shape with a smooth margin and a bristle tip. Flowers: Both male and female flowers are borne on the same tree, monoecious. The male flowers are borne on slender yellow-green catkins and the females are borne on very short auxiliary spikes. Fruit: The acorns are small and roundish, ¼ to ½ inches long maturing in the second season. Twigs: Dark brown, slender and gray with age. The terminal bud is 1/8-inch long with branches developing multiple spur shoots. Bark: Gray and smooth on young trees, but developing a roughened dark gray as it matures. Uses: Frequently used as a shade tree along roads. Also produces heavy crops of acorns eaten by many types of wildlife. It has a long life and forms a dense crown, but the lower limbs do not readily selfprune. In the pioneer days, lumber from willow oaks was used to make pulpits, pews, wagon axles and flour barrels. It is a prolific acorn producer which provides food for game birds, deer and small mammals. Blue jays and red-headed woodpeckers are commonly found using willow oaks for food and a nesting site. 3

6 Betty Mauldin Park 2 American Elm (Ulmus Americana). This was once a common tree found along city streets in North America reaching heights over 100 feet. The graceful, arching vase appearance of the crown provided shade and beauty for urban environments. It is also very tolerant to human disturbance and the limbs are cross-grained giving it strength and resistance to limb breakage. The tree is deciduous, losing its leaves in the fall, but will continue to grow until frost. It does not respond to shorter days in the fall as many plants do by shutting down growth. The American elm has been devastated in many parts of its natural range by the Dutch elm disease which is a fungal disease spread by elm bark beetles and root grafts. The disease was introduced into the United States on a shipment of logs from Europe in the 1930s. It is unlikely the American elm will ever reclaim its place as one of our prized urban treasures. However, tree geneticists are working to clone American elms resistant to Dutch elm disease. Leaves: Alternate, 3 to 6 inches long and 2 to 3 inches wide. Darkgreen above with a lighter green below. The leaf surface is smooth above with doubly-serrated margins. Fruit: Flat, winged samara about ½-inch long. Buds: Chestnut brown and nearly pointed with few hairs. Bark: Light to medium gray, and will develop broad ridges with deep divides with age. Uses: The wood has valuable uses in the furniture industry. It was once steamed to bend for wheel hoops and baskets. This American elm located in the Betty Mauldin Park has the distinction of being the Georgia Co-Champion. It has a crown spread of 105 feet and a height of 79 feet. Notice the trunk of the tree is buttressed with prominent root flares which is a characteristic of older elms. 4

7 Betty Mauldin Park 3 Pecan (Carya illinoinensis). Pecan trees are a species of hickory that can grow to a height of 100 to 130 feet. The tree was native to the Mississippi River Valley, but rapidly spread east as traders used the nuts for trade. This is a very valuable tree because of the popular nuts which are used for baking and candies. The wood is also valued for expensive furniture. Originally pecans were derived from seedlings until the mid 1800s. Since then, grafted cultivars have been developed for their outstanding characteristics such as nut quality, disease resistance and increased production. Today, Georgia produces over 50% of the pecans produced in the United States. Most of the 142,000 acres of commercial pecan production is in the southern part of our state. Pecans generate over $70,000,000 of income for our farm economy. The word Pecan is derived from the Algonquin origin which means a nut requiring a stone to crack. It is the only major tree nut that grows naturally in America. Leaves: Alternate, deciduous and pinnately compound, reaching a length of 12 to 20 inches long. The leaflets are lance-shaped with a curve from 3 to 8 inches long with a serrated leaf margin. Fruit: Nuts are produced on current year s growth, approximately 1½ to 2 inches long in clusters. Georgia leads the nation in pecan production. Twigs: Stout with a terminal brown bud approximately ½-inch long. Bark: Light brown to gray color raised on scaly ridges. Uses: Pecan production and quality lumber for furniture. Pecan trees were a favorite of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson who planted them in their gardens in the late 1700s. 5

8 Betty Mauldin Park 4 Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica). This small tree is native to Southeast Asia but has become a popular addition to southern landscapes because of its colorful variety of flowers that bloom in summer. It is well suited for urban settings due to its long life, pest resistance and ability to withstand drought conditions. The Japanese Crape Myrtle was introduced into the United States in the 1950s and became a favorite because of its cold resistance and resistance to powdery mildew. To develop a tree shape, three to five nicely spaced shoots should be selected as the main trunks. Leaves: Simple, opposite and deciduous with smooth margins. Flowers: Develop on branched flower structures in clusters called panicles. They have a crinkled, crepe-like texture and range in color from white, pink, red and lavender. The trunk of the crape myrtle is another quality which increases its selection as a landscape tree. Its buffcolor adds additional contrast to the landscape, especially in winter. The use of multi-stemmed trees or single trunks, trained to small trees gives the tree a wider choice of form and scale. Fruit: A capsule or dry fruit. It turns from green to dark brown as it ripens and splits, releasing numerous small winged seeds. 6

9 5 Southern Red Oak (Quercus falcata). This is a common red oak found in the southern landscape. It grows 80 to 90 feet tall and has a broad, wellrounded crown of spreading branches ideal for shading city streets. Leaves: Simple, alternately arranged and deciduous in fall, with some leaves persisting on the tree until late winter. Leaves are deeply lobed with 3 to 5 sharply pointed, bristle-tipped lobes. The central lobe is long and narrow, with a rounded base resembling a bell shape. he upper surface of the leaf is a shiny dark green with yellowish hairs on the undersides. Spring (in flower) Fruit: Short acorn about ½-inch long that has a saucer-shaped cup covering no more than 1/3 of the fruit. Twigs: Gray with rust colored hairs. Bark: Thick and dark brown to black in color with narrow, shallow ridges. Uses: Furniture, lumber and flooring. It also provides acorns for squirrels, song birds, turkey and quail. The top of this Southern Red Oak In Thrasher Park has been broken out probably during a wind storm. There is evidence of internal decay which probably weakened the wood, causing the top to break. 7

10 6 Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga Canadensis). This is a coniferous or cone bearing tree that has fruit-like structures with woody scales, each bearing seeds or pollen. The tree can grow to 100 feet high with a pyramidal head and drooping branches. It grows natively from Canada down to Georgia in the Appalachian Mountains at higher elevations. It is a slow-growing tree that may take 250 to 300 years to reach maturity. Some trees will live 800 years or more. This tree has been used in urban landscapes in northern Georgia, especially because it will live under the shade of other trees. Leaves: 2-ranked, flattened needles 1/3 to 2/3 inches long which are flat, dark green and shiny above. The underside has two white stomatal bands. Leaves are evergreen and last for three growing seasons. Fruit: ½ to ¾ inch egg-shaped cone, which is light brown and hangs singly from the tips of twigs. Two winged seeds are contained under each scale. Bark: Brownish and becomes thick and rough when older. Uses: Ornamental plantings. Early settlers used the bark as a source of tannin. Wood is used as a source of pulp and crating materials. The hemlock wooly adelgid is a serious pest of hemlocks in the eastern United States. This aphid like pest was first discovered in the United States in 1924, introduced from Asia. 8

11 7 Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia). This is a fairly short lived tree reaching 50 to 60 feet tall. A member of the pea family, it is native to the southeastern United States. It can grow on fairly poor sites because of its ability to fix nitrogen from the soil. Eroded areas have been replanted with black locust because of their ability to improve soil fertility. The bark of the black locust is poisonous to cattle, but rabbits sometimes feed on the bark during the winter and songbirds eat the seeds which are toxic to people. Leaves: Deciduous and pinnately compound, 8 to 14 inches long. Leaflets are 7 to 9, 1 to 2 inches long. They are dark green above, paler below. Flowers: Showy white and fragrant, dangling on unbranched stalks 4 to 6 inches long. Fruit: Brown legume pod, 3 to 4 inches long and ½-inch wide. Twigs: Zigzag and have spines at each node. Bark: Gray, brown on black; thick and deeply furrowed. Uses: The hardwood is very dense and resistant to rot. It makes good fence posts, railroad ties and wagon hubs. The fragrant flowers attract bees and provide quality honey. The stories of Abraham Lincoln splitting black locust rails and posts are part of American history. This tree is located on private property, please enjoy viewing the tree from the sidewalk. 9

12 8 American Beech (Fagus grandifolia). This is a relatively pest-free tree that grows 70 to 80 feet high. It is a slower growing tree often found growing with oaks and hickories on well-drained bottoms. It is a deciduous tree that has shade tolerance. It is found in the final development or stage of succession in the forest. It is commonly found with Sugar Maple, Eastern Hemlock or Yellow Birch as you move northward. People often scar the trunk by carving their initials or names into the trunk. One tree in Louisville, Kentucky bore the legend D. Boone and the year in the late 1700s. This tree trunk section now belongs to The Filson Historical Society in Louisville. Early Americans used the leaves and extracts from the tree for fabric dyes and leaves were often used to stuff mattresses. Leaves: Broadly elliptical and 2 to 6 inches long. They are simple, deciduous with parallel lateral veins and leaf margins which have small teeth. Most of the leaves are grouped toward the end of the branch on short branchlets. Leaves turn yellow in fall and the lower leaves often remain on the tree until winter. Fruit: An edible nut about ¾-inch long that has a triangular shape maturing in September October. Wildlife readily consume the nuts, but heavy crops only occur every 2 to 3 years. Winter buds are 1-inch long and very sharp. Twigs: Slender and zigzag. Bark: Thin, bluish gray and very smooth. Uses: The wood is often used for furniture, toys, food containers and barrels for aging beer. 10

13 9 Post Oak (Quercus stellata). This is a medium size, slow growing tree that reaches a height of 60 to 80 feet high. It is a white oak, producing an annual acorn crop and very hard, durable wood which holds up well when contacting soil. This makes it useful for fence posts and railroad ties. It often grows on rocky or sandy ridges and handles drought conditions well. This tree is common around old farmsteads in Georgia. Leaves: 4 to 6 inches long and 3 to 4 inches wide with a crucifix shape. Lobes are widest at the ends and rounded. They have a dark green leathery appearance above, lower surface is lighter green and rough. Fruit: Acorns ½ to ¾ inch long, oblong and blunt. The kernel is not bitter and readily eaten by wildlife. Bark: Similar to white oak, gray-brown with long horizontal fissures that have fine checks. Uses: Posts and railroad ties. Lumber is durable but not the quality of white oak. It is a good landscape tree for dry sites. 11

14 10 Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum). Sugar maple is a prized tree for its beautiful fall colors which range from yellow to brilliant reddish-orange. Many homeowners plant sugar maples to take advantage of this tree s fast growth and beautiful fall color. This is a long-lived tree which grows 70 to 90 feet tall. This is a maple species native to the hardwood forest from Georgia to Nova Scotia. It is also a source of maple syrup produced in several New England states. Sap is collected by drilling holes into the wood phloem of the tree and inserting tubes, which allow the sap to flow into a collection bucket. The tree naturally seals off the flow of sap each year so new holes are drilled at the beginning of the collection season. This is a very shade tolerant tree and comprises a major part of hardwood forests in the northeastern United States. In the last few decades, numbers of sugar maple trees have declined due to logging operations and pollutions in the form of acid rain. Leaves: Simple and deciduous, 3 to 5 inches long with five palmate lobes. The leaf margins are smooth or wavy. Fruit: 1-inch samara with double seeded wings which fall from the tree in the fall. Twigs: Shiny with a brownish color. Bark: Light gray on young trees developing furrows and scaly ridges that are vertical and separate on the ends frequently. Uses: Maple wood is used for furniture, flooring, bowling alleys, bowling pins and basketball courts. 12

15 11 Red Maple (Acer rubrum). Red maples are found throughout Georgia. They commonly grow 60 to 90 feet high and have become a favorite ornamental shade tree because of their rapid growth in a wide range of sites. Leaves: Simple, deciduous, usually 2 to 5 inches long divided into 3 to 5 lobes which are pointed. Margins are finely serrated. Upper surface of leaves is light green and smooth and pale below. Petioles are red. Fruit: Red to yellowish samara, paired with wings ¾-inch long ripening in the spring. It is one of the first plants to flower in spring. New seedlings develop in early summer and will stand fairly heavy shade. Maples produce short taproots in wet locations with long lateral roots. In dry locations they develop longer taproots and shorter laterals. Bark: Thin and light gray on young trees, turning dark gray and forming long, narrow, scaly bark with shallow fissures. Uses: Red maple wood is used for veneer, flooring, furniture, woodenware and pulpwood. 13

16 12 American Holly (Ilex opaca). This is a medium size tree, occasionally reaching 70 feet high that often grows as an understory tree. It is a landscape tree that is popular for ornamental decoration at Christmas. Pilgrims landing in America used the American holly as a symbol of Christmas, a tradition used for centuries in Europe with the English holly. This practice helped name American holly as our Christmas holly. The decorative leaves and red berries are a favorite during the holidays. This evergreen is a medium sized tree with the leaves remaining on the branches for two or three years before falling in the spring, when pushed off by growing buds. If you have a holly that doesn t produce berries, it is likely a male tree. They provide birds with a late season source of food when other food sources are exhausted. Migrating flocks of small birds such as cedar waxwings and American goldfinch are important seed dispersal sources of hollies. Leaves: Evergreen, 2 to 4 inches long, broadly elliptical with sharply toothed margins, pointing outward. The upper surface is a shiny dark green, with pale or yellowish beneath. Fruit: Small red drupe (single-seeded fruit with a seed enclosed in a stony wall and an outer fleshy skin), maturing in the fall. Hollies are dioecious (separate male and female plants), with the female producing the characteristic red drupe. Bark: On younger trees is gray and smooth, as it matures it becomes roughened. The twigs are gray, stout and covered in rust colored hairs when young but become smooth with age. Uses: Ornamental purposes. The wood is used for fine furniture and decorative inlays. 14

17 13 Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora). This is an evergreen tree that is native to the southeastern United States. It is a beautiful and durable tree associated with southern landscapes. It can be used as a specimen tree or as a border plant because of its evergreen foliage. This tree will grow in full sun or partial shade, and it will withstand wet or dry soil conditions. The limb can be lightly scratched before covering to encourage root development, creating a rooted limb that will add stability to the tree. Leaves: Last two years and are 6 to 12 inches long, simple with smooth margins. They have a dark green surface that is leathery; underneath is rusty, bronze with yellow hairs. Flowers: Appear in late spring that are creamy white, 6 to 8 inches wide and fragrant. Fruit: The fruit is a cone shaped reddish-brown bur, 3 to 4 inches long. Red seeds develop on the fruit which are attached by threads; maturing in the fall. Bark: Gray and smooth when young, developing into flat scales when older. Uses: Southern magnolia is one of the most prized ornamental trees in the south. It is grown as a specimen tree and occasionally espaliered to walls. When grown in the open, lower limbs should not be pruned so a natural shape can develop. This will also reduce maintenance by hiding fallen leaves to the tree s interior. 15

18 14 Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus) This is the largest pine in eastern North America reaching a height of 180+ feet. This pine species once covered a large part of the northeastern United States during Colonial days, but heavy logging has removed all but a few of these giants from our forests. The largest remaining tree from our virgin forest is called the Boogerman Pine located in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. This tree is native to our Georgia Mountains along cool, moist valleys and coves. It is a member of the white pine group found growing natively in the Appalachian Mountain areas of Georgia northward into Canada. Leaves: Needles that are bluish-green on the upper surface, and a whitish color below. Needles are 3 to 5 inches long occurring in bundles of five needles to a sheath. Fruit: Cones are 4 to 8 inches long, cylindrical and rounded at the end with gummy scales. Twigs: Greenish-gray color that darken with age. Bark: On young trees is smooth, thin and greenish in color. It thickens on older trees developing broad, flat ridges. Uses: The wood is used in construction and furniture. The light, soft wood works easily and can be used for trim, cabinets, caskets and paneling. The British Royal Navy treasured these trees during colonial times for masts for their sailing ships. Selected trees were marked with the king s mark to indicate trees that were not to be cut under penalty of death. However, during the American Revolution, patriots took great pride in cutting and removing these trees to prevent them from reaching England. Indian tribes sometimes collected the white, soft inner bark (cambium layer) during winter starvation conditions. The bark was dried and pounded into a flour-like product. The young staminate (male) cones were also added to stews for their sweet flavor. The limbs grow on the tree in a layering effect. Each year another layer of limbs develops above the preceding year s growth. The pine needles contain five times as much Vitamin C as lemons. 16

19 15 Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica). This is a medium size tree reaching 60 to 90 feet high which varies in form depending on growing conditions. It is a member of the Oleaceae or olive family. It thrives well in bottom land, but also will grow in dry soils. The Fall color is golden-yellow and one of the first trees to change color. The seeds are eaten by a number of game and non-game animals and birds. Green Ash was used by American Indians for bows and arrows and is used for furniture today. Leaves: Compound, deciduous in fall opposite with 5 to 9 ovate to elliptical leaflets. The leaf margins are smooth to finely toothed; dark green on the upper surface, lower surface is pale and smooth. Fruit: Single seed samara 1 to 2 inches long, ¼-inch wide. Bark: Gray to brown tinged with narrow fissures becoming thick with age. This has become a very popular tree for ornamental purposes due to its good form, rapid growth and disease resistance. However, the accidental introduction of the emerald ash borer from Asia has created a big problem for the health of this tree in the northeastern United States. Uses: Green ash has wood grain which makes good tonal quality for guitars. Many of the popular guitar companies use this wood in the construction of their products. 17

20 Norcross Municipal Government 65 Lawrenceville Street Norcross, GA Phone: Fax: Funds for this project were provided by the Urban and Community Forestry Grant Program administered by the Georgia Forestry Commission. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs). Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA s TAR- GET Center at (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-A, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC or call (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Botanical illustrations are copyrighted by the Arbor Day Foundation and used with permission.