38 City Trees
This poem, written by SMA Bard Steve Cothrel
with input from Doug Still and Michelle Sutton, was
used to gradually reveal the identity of the 2017 SMA
Urban Tree of the Year at the Society's awards lun-
cheon at the recent Indianapolis conference. It was
accompanied by a champagne toast.
Chestnut Oak from A-Z
A is for announcing our Tree of the Year
B is for bubbly, with which we will cheer
C is for cambium, the meristem that grows
D is for defense, it has few pest woes
E is for excitement, this tree is a peach
F is for Fagaceae, its family a beech
G is for growth in the sun, not the shade
H is for hardiness—Zone 4, be not afraid
I is for intolerant of shade, we just said that
J is for juicy nuts making fall squirrels fat
K is for kindling, few woods will burn stronger
L is for long-lived, two centuries or longer
M is for monoecious, its flowers are both sexes
N is for native, down to Georgia but not Texas
O is for orange inner bark near the xylem
P is for photosynthesis, likes others in its phylum
Q is for Quercus, a genus with grace
R is for rock oak, a dry ledge is its place
S is for serration, small teeth on the leaf
T is for toasting, you'll soon have relief
U is for unremarkable color in fall
V is for vertical, this tree can grow tall
W is for wickedly furrowed bark texture
X is for xylem—do you remember that lecture?
Y is for you, have you enjoyed our tree poem?
Z is for—damn it, there's no Z in phloem.
At any rate, let us now toast without fear
To the chestnut oak, our new Tree of the Year
So whether you like Quercus montana or prinus
Let's all raise our glass to this tree—it's the finest.
rity, it is very stately looking with its well branched structure, and
sometimes it even provides a nice red fall color; however, its fall
color is most commonly a yellowish brown to orange-yellow."
The SMA recognizes the underutilized, attractive, and extremely
useful chestnut oak for its service to urban forests and encourages
its use when matched appropriately to site and as part of a diverse
urban tree inventory. You can see the full list of past Tree of the
Year winners on the SMA website, www.urban-forestry.com.
Native range of chestnut oak • USDA Plants Database
Chestnut oak's unmistakable bark • Photo (c) 2002 Steven J.
Baskauf http://bioimages.vanderbilt.edu/baskauf/13676.htm
Fall color of chestnut oak ranges from red to orange-yellow to
yellow-brown. • Photo by Ethan M. Dropkin, Cornell Woody
Plants Database
