1.

American Linden

 

 

 

 

 

 

Native to north America, particularly texas and South Carolina.

Big Leaf Linden

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sweet Crab Apple Tree (we tasted the fruit)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mostly endangered. Native to North America.

Gramineae (poaceae)

Invasive, or related to a species of invasive grass. Not Native to North America.

Northern Red Oak

 

 

 

 

 

 

native to North America.

Jack Pine

 

 

 

 

 

 

Native to north America.

Honey Locust

 

 

 

 

 

 

Native to North America. We found it outside the park.

 

Pin Oak

 

 

Native to North America, mainly in the eastern United states from Conneticut west to eastern Kansas. Grows best in wet clay soil. Cannot grow very well in shade.

American Elm

 

 

 

 

 

 

This type of tree is endangered and native to North America.

Ginkgo Biloba

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Gingko Bilboa is not native to the United States, however it has been commonly cultivated in America for over 200 years.

2. The diverse group of plant species in Central park exist in relative abundance, even those that are classified as endangered, such as the American elm. The park has done a tremendous job preserving the trees despite nearby pollution and littering. The big leaf linden is very noticeable, is frequently planted as an ornamental tree in parks, and consequently is out in open spaces or common pathways. Gramineae (poaceae) is a type of perennial ryegrass that is related to an invasive species. This particular type of grass is not native to North America. It looks very similar to lemon grass as well, which isn’t native to North America either. The crab apple trees were not as prevalent as other trees and were within distance of each other, so perhaps it was a preferred spot to grow them.

 

3. The variety of plants found through out Central Park does not exactly resemble any of the ecological neighborhoods described by Sanderson in Mannahatta. These groupings of plant species in the park however, most resemble the “old-growth forest.”  Central Park is dominated by a variety of tall trees, with species of flower and shrubs growing beneath them. Trees that dominated the old-forests of Mannahatta such as the oak, hickory and pine species can all be seen in Central Park. Specifically, we identified the Jack Pine, Pin Oak and Northern Red Oak.  The Jack Pine and the American Linden trees we identified had a variety of different wildflowers and shrubs growing beneath them in the shade. In the days of Mannahatta’s old forests, fauna living in such an ecological neighborhood would live off of wild nuts and fruit produced from the trees. Our discovery of a crab apple tree growing fruit resembles something that would be found in the old-growth forests described by Sanderson. Unlike the old-growth forests however, the trees of central park are not in a constant battle between in each other over sunlight. They are well dispersed and trimmed, so that all trees have an equal opportunity at growing.

4. Pin oak grows primarily on level or nearly level, poorly drained floodplain and river bottom soils with high clay content. It is usually found on sites that flood intermittently during the dormant season but do not ordinarily flood during the growing season. Red oak is prized for its high quality wood, which is used for flooring and furniture. In Central Park it is the second to pin oak in occurrence. It has a rapid rate of growth for an oak and develops into a tall, wide-spreading tree that takes up a lot of space. It is regarded as vital to New York City’s ecosystem. The gingko biloba, most commonly found in China, is planted in New York City as well. It grows best in environments that are well-watered and well-drained and is relatively shade intolerant, which explains why we found it in open area and not where buildings can block sunlight. Crabapple trees are widely grown as ornamental trees, grown for their beautiful flowers or fruit, with numerous ones selected for these qualities and for resistance to disease.  Many of the species have sweetly-scented, bell-shaped flowers that produce a sweet, edible nectar. Breaking of the Honeysuckle’s stem releases a powerful sweet odor. The fruit contains seeds; in most species the berries are mildly poisonous. Some species, like the Japanese honeysuckle, are invasive, but we were not able to discern its specific subgroup.

 

5.  Based on the variety and geographic distribution of the trees in Central Park, it is clear that there was a large human influence.  Three major aspects seem to be considered: the aesthetic quality, the viability of the trees, and the cohesiveness of the ecosystem. Those trees planted on the sidewalks and surrounding areas were planted based on aesthetic appeal,  and viability to the “sidewalk environment” of New York City. Therefore they adapted well to High PH’s, high wind, high pollution, and grew smaller than some of the tremendous trees within central park. These factors are key to their management by city officials. Within Central Park, officials must balance the value of the scenery and the sustainability of the tree life with other surrounding plants. For instance, trees that do not outcompete each other for resources are more likely to be planted in close proximity of one another. None of these factors are more important than any other; rather they all play a pivotal role in the how man manages the park.

 

6.  The vast diversity of Central Park in many ways mirrors that of the surrounding sidewalks. In fact, many of the trees we found in the park itself including the American Elm, Pin Oak, Linden and Honey Locust trees are commonly planted/recommended for planting trees (http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_your_park/trees_greenstreets/species_list.html) The trees cultivated on the sidewalks are chosen for their size, and resilience to pollution, salt, high PH and wind. Within central park there is a much larger concentration of plant life as it represents a fuller ecosystem and space. Even still, fittingly, trees that easily adapt to the climate of New York are found in the park and sidewalks alike therefore the species therein are similar.

 

7.  The plant life within the confines of Central Park is vastly diverse. The trees alone have origins ranging from North America to Japan. In fact, approximately half of the trees that we identified and examined were non-native to New York. While the Pin Oak, American Linden, Hickory 34, American Elm, and Big leaf Linden are trees originally found in New York; the Jack Pine (Canada), Gingko (Japan—though found as a street tree, the tree is also common in the park) and Crabapple trees (elsewhere in the United States, Europe and Asia) are non-native to New York. While we only identified two street plants, the Ginkgo of Japan and the Honey Locust (South Dakota, Texas and New Orleans), it was clear that the trees that adapt well to New York climate and are thus present in central park similarly find their way to the sides of the surrounding areas, therefore their species are equally diverse.

 

 

Flora in Central Park: Plant Locations

View MHC 200 Lab 3 Group 4 in a larger map