Parks, Recreation & Leisure

Parks, Recreation & Leisure / Parks & Forestry

Tree Treks

Fancyburg Park | Northam Park | Thompson Park

Click here to download a pdf version of the Thompson Park Tree Trek

Thompson Park’s 49 acres are well known to local walkers, joggers, and sports enthusiasts. Few residents are aware, however, of the rich diversity of trees growing within the park. Over 70 different species can be found, ranging from native trees such as black walnut and red oak to more exotic species such as dawn redwood and Caucasian wingnut. Some of the trees have been growing on this land since long before establishment of the park, some donated through the City’s Commemorative Tree Program, and some planted due to their horticultural value or for observation prior to use as street trees.

The Tree Trek brochure aims to introduce some of these trees to park users. Trees are numbered on the map and are tagged on a low branch. This self-guiding walk begins and ends at the Lane Road branch of the Upper Arlington Public Library.

We hope you enjoy learning about the trees of Thompson Park. For more details, consult:

www.oplin.lib.oh.us/products/tree/index.html
www.dnr.state.oh.us/forestry/Education/ohiotrees/treesindex.htm

1. Baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) is a fast-growing, deciduous conifer that does well in wet locations. It has a deep orange fall color and flattened, narrow short needles.

2. Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) is the source of “real” maple syrup. It has a moderate rate of growth and a brilliant mix of colors in the fall.

3. Yellowwood (Cladrastis kentuckia), a member of the legume family, has bright yellow heartwood. It is medium-sized with white flowers, broad, flat compound leaves, and smooth light-gray bark.

4. Limber Pine (Pinus flexilis) is native to the western United States and reaches up to 40’ tall. Its silvery, twisted needles (five per bundle) add landscape interest.

5. Serviceberry (Amelianchier sp.) has white spring flowers followed by red/purple berries in summer, a favorite food of birds and other wildlife. Some serviceberries have a single trunk, others feature a more branched form. Its leaves are small, with great orange/red fall color.

6. Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) grows to 70-80 feet. It is known as the “living fossil” because it was thought to be extinct when three trees were found in a small Chinese village. Most dawn redwoods in the U.S. have been propagated from those three trees. While a deciduous conifer, it is not closely related to the baldcypress.

7. Swamp White Oak (Quercus bicolor) is native to Ohio and grows quite large. It can retain its leaves far into winter, and smaller limbs have attractive exfoliating bark. Leaves are not nearly as deeply lobed as in white oak.

8. Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) grows to 60 feet tall and is tolerant of many environments. It has compound leaves with toothed margins and yellow fall color.

9. This Bretscherderii Pear (Pyrus x ‘Bretscherderii’) is the only one of its kind in the park. It features white flowers in early spring similar to more common ornamental pears.

10. London Plane Tree (Platanus x acerifolia) is a cross between the sycamore and the oriental plane tree, developed to withstand the polluted air in 19th Century London, England. It tends to be more disease resistant than native sycamores but still has the interesting mottled bark and large broad leaf.

11. Washington Hawthorn (Crataegus phaenopyrum) bears long, sharp thorns making it a questionable choice for home landscaping. It bears white flowers and small orange fruit. Leaves are small, simple and variable with good fall color.

12. Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) is easily distinguished by its star-shaped leaves and prickly hanging fruits. It is a large tree with good structure and excellent purple and red fall color.

13. Norway Spruce (Picea abies) is a large-growing evergreen reaching 60-70 feet. It is too large for a typical yard but can be magnificent in a park-type setting. Spruce needles are single, not in clusters.

14. Callery Pear (Pyrus calleryana) grows quickly to 30-40 feet. The tree bears white flowers in the spring; summer leaves are dark glossy green and turn dark red in the fall. It is tolerant of many soils. Many cultivars are available; the popular ‘Bradford’ is not recommended.

15. Japanese Tree Lilac (Syringa reticulata ‘Ivory Silk’) has small ivory flowers and cherry-like bark. It reaches 25-30 feet in height, and under 20 feet in spread.

16. American Hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana) has strong, heavy wood. Leaves are simple and unlobed with small teeth. It has shaggy bark and will tolerate some shade. It is common in rich woods in Canada and the eastern U.S.

17. Hardy Rubber Tree (Eucommia ulmoides) has glossy dark green leaves which contain latex and are very resistant to pests and diseases. Mature height is approximately 30 to 50 feet. Inconspicuous blooms are followed by the production of small, 1.5-inch-long, flat, winged seeds. It requires full sun.

18. Kentucky Coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus) has unique bipinnately compound leaves which give it a tropical look in summer. It has a very open winter habit, often retaining flat brown pods on female trees. Males are seedless.

19. Lacebark Elm (Ulmus parvifolia) grows 30-40 feet tall. It is very resistant to Dutch elm disease, with beautiful exfoliating bark and small, glossy leaves with tiny teeth.

20. White Oak (Quercus alba) is a large, slow growing tree with light gray bark and deeply sinused leaves which distinguish it from swamp white oak. It is one of the largest trees of the eastern U.S., and is found in a variety of habitats in Ohio.

21. Kousa Dogwood (Cornus kousa) has ornamental bark when mature and the fruit looks like red raspberries. This tree was planted in memory of a dog as part of the City’s Commemorative Tree Program.

22. Red Horsechestnut (Aesculus x carnea) is a hybrid of Red Buckeye and European Horsechestnut. The leaves and fruit look like the Ohio Buckeye, but this tree has pink flowers, not the white blooms of our state tree.

23. Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) is a large tree with compound leaves and green-husked nuts which the squirrels plant all over the park. This individual, growing off the path a bit, originated in that manner. The dark-colored heartwood is popular among woodworkers. The species is allelopathic, meaning that some other plants do not grow well within its dripline.

24. Thornless Cockspur Hawthorn (Crataegus crusgalli inermis) has the white flowers and small berries typical of the species, without the thorns. It grows slowly and becomes quite wide, with broad, simple leaves. Berries are clustered at the ends of branching stalks.

25. Cutleaf European Beech (Fagus sylvatica ‘Asplenifolia’) is a large, slow growing tree with majestic smooth light gray bark. Its deeply cut leaf produces unusual texture and form.

26. Trident Maple (Acer beurgeranum) is a small, Asian maple which has a 3-lobed, simple leaf. It is an uncommon tree but one that deserves more use. Leaves are glossy green in summer and fall color includes orange and red tones.

27. Red Maple (Acer rubrum) is a relatively fast-growing native tree with red twigs and brilliant red fall color. The bark on young trees is very smooth and becomes platy as the tree gets older. It has small red flowers in early spring.

28. Japanese Zelkova (Zelkovia serrata ‘Green Vase’) is an Asian member of the elm family which is highly resistant to Dutch elm disease. It develops mottled ornamental bark as it ages. It is one of the few trees with the “vase” growth habit, reminiscent of the American elm. It grows to 50 or 60 feet tall and quite wide.

29. White Redbud (Cercis canadensis ‘Alba’) is a white-flowering cultivar of the native redbud. It is small with heart-shaped leaves and tolerates some shade.

30. Japanese Maple ‘Senkaki’ (Acer palmatum ‘Senkaki’) has bright red twigs and deeply cut, ornamental leaves. It is slow-growing and matures at 20-25 feet in height. Like all Japanese Maples, it does not tolerate stressful sites.

31. ‘Indian Summer’ Crabapple (Malus sp. ‘Indian Summer’) is a pink-flowering crabapple cultivar with excellent disease resistance. It grows to about 20 feet in height and an equal width.

32. Colorado Spruce (Picea pungens) is a popular evergreen native to the western U.S. It can reach 60 feet in height. Its foliar color varies from green to vivid blue, depending on the individual tree and cultivar.

33. Italian Alder (Alnus cordata) is a dense, fast growing plant with glossy bright green heart-shaped leaves. Its cone-like fruits and catkins give it great winter character. It is ideal for wet conditions.

34. Hedge Maple (Acer campestre) is a medium-sized, European maple. It grows well as a street tree because it is very tolerant to heat and drought, and is relatively free of insect pests and diseases. It has excellent yellow fall color. Some specimens have very corky twigs.

35. River Birch (Betula nigra) is a native birch with shaggy peach-colored bark. It can be grown as a multi-trunked or single-trunked specimen. It tends to be more pest resistant than any white-barked birch in Central Ohio.

36. Caucasian Wingnut (Pterocarya fraxinifolia) grows 40 to 50 feet tall with a spread equal to or greater than its height. This rare tree grows very quickly. It has a dark, glossy green compound leaf in summer, and gets its name from its winged nutlets.

37. Japanese Pagodatree (Sophora japonica) is sometimes known as “the scholar tree.” It is a large tree with compound leaves similar to honeylocust, and it is also a member of the legume family. Its most unusual trait is its profusion of white flowers in August when few other trees are in bloom.

38. Bigtooth Maple ‘Rocky Mountain Glow’ (Acer grandidentatum ‘Rocky Mountain Glow’) is a small maple native to the western U.S. It grows to 25 feet and in many respects is like a dwarf sugar maple.

39. European Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) is a slow growing tree native to Europe which is most commonly found as an “upright” cultivar in the U.S. This specimen is the natural form, which is very uncommon.

40. European Beech ‘Riversii’ (Fagus sylvatica ‘Riversii’) is a slow-growing native of Europe which features smooth light gray bark. This variety has a broad, flat, simple leaf which is dark maroon/copper all summer.

41. Pondcypress (Taxodium ascendens) looks similar to its relative baldcypress but has minor differences in needle attachment. It is native to the southern U.S. and reaches 80 feet in height.

42. Scotch Pine (Pinus sylvestris) is a 2-needled pine native to Europe. The bark shows a striking orange color in older trees. It becomes 30-40 feet tall, and is a popular Christmas tree.

43. Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) is a large but slow growing tree native to China. It is an ancient tree with unique fan-shaped leaves. It has a very clear gold color in the fall. It is dioecious, meaning that only female trees bear fruit. Most ginkgos planted in the U.S. are male, because the fruits are foul-smelling.

44. Amur Corktree (Phellodendron amurensis) is a medium-sized tree native to Asia. It can become as wide as it is tall. Older trees have very thick bark. Its compound leaf is very similar to that of the ash family. Male cultivars are fruitless.

45. ‘Prairifire’ Crabapple (Malus sp. ‘Prairifire’) is a good pink flowering crab with small red fruits and excellent disease resistance, requiring no spraying.

46. Honeylocust (Gleditsia tricanthos inermis) is a fast-growing tree with small leaflets comprising its compound leaf. It tolerates wet and challenging sites. This specimen is a thornless variety; native trees have large thorns on the trunk.

47. Lacebark Pine (Pinus bungeana) is an uncommon, slow-growing pine. On older specimens the variegated bark pattern is quite striking. A native of Asia, it grows 30-40 feet in height.

48. The Tree Commission Grove was established in 2003, incorporating trees donated by current and former Tree Commission members. The species in the grove, all native to Ohio include: Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum), Yellow Buckeye (Aesculus octandra), Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra), Black Tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica), Tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera), American Beech (Fagus grandifolia), American Hybrid Chestnut (Castanea dentata x mollissima), Northern Pecan (Carya illinoensis), Scarlet Oak (Quercus coccinea), and Blue Ash (Fraxinus quadrangulata).

49. European Beech ‘Tricolor’ (Fagus sylvatica ‘Tricolor’) is a slow-growing cultivar with a distinctive maroon, pink and white leaf. It grows to about 30 feet tall.

50. American Beech (Fagus grandifolia) does not tolerate poor soils. It is found throughout Ohio, and hollows in beech trees provide shelter for many animals. The smooth, gray bark is distinctive, as are the long, slender chestnut brown buds. Leaves are simple, 2”-5” long, with coarse teeth.

51. Blackgum (Nyssa sylvatica) or Tupelo has bright scarlet fall color and shiny leaves. Leaves are simple and unlobed with smooth margins. The smooth, gray bark of younger trees darkens with age, breaking into rectangular blocks separated by deep crevices.

52. European (Black) Alder (Alnus glutinosa) is a relatively fast-growing tree with ornamental catkins and cone-like fruits during the winter. It tends to be tolerant of poor soils, including those that are wet and infertile. The small rounded leaves turn yellow in fall.

53. Silver Linden (Tilia tomentosa) is native to southeastern Europe and western Asia. Horticulturists brought it to North America during our colonial period. The bark is light gray to silver gray. Few plants grow well under its dense foliage. It has broad, asymmetrical heart-shaped leaves. Spring flowers are fragrant.

54. The Magnolia Grove (Magnolia spp.) contains over a dozen different magnolias with blooms occuring from spring to early summer. Some have white flowers while most bloom in varying shades of pink. Most mature at 15-25 feet. Some are subject to magnolia scale and may require treatment.

55. Pin Oak (Quercus palustris) is distinctive from a distance with its ascending upper branches, horizontal middle branches, and drooping lower branches. It is a fast growing tree and retains its leaves far into winter. Some trees suffer from iron deficiency in our soils. Leaves are deeply lobed with bristle tips.

56. Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis) has rough-textured bark when mature. It bears blue-black berries which are fed upon by various birds and mammals after they ripen in the fall. Hackberry leaves are simple and unlobed with a twisting tip and fine teeth.

57. White Pine (Pinus strobus) is the largest conifer native to the northeastern US. It is fast growing, and has an open habit. It is native to a small portion of northeast Ohio, but has been planted throughout the state. Its needles are in bundles of five.

58. Shagbark Hickory (Carya ovata) spends the first three years of life developing a root system with little top growth. It produces large hickory nuts that are a favorite food of squirrels. The shaggy bark, conspicuous on tall, straight trees, gives this tree its common name. It has compound leaves with 5 to 7 leaflets.

59. Littleleaf Linden (Tilia cordata) has dense, compact foliage and a pyramidal shape. It has broad, flat, finely-toothed simple heart-shaped leaves. Japanese beetles love to feed on this European native.

60. ‘Pacific Sunset’ Maple (Acer platanoides x truncatum ‘Pacific Sunset’) is a hybrid cultivar frequently used as a street tree due to its medium size and pretty fall color. It is derived from the Norway maple and the Shantung or Asian maple.

61. European Beech (Fagus sylvatica) has broad, flat, simple, unlobed leaves. It has smooth bark and is available in assorted cutleaf, weeping and red leafed forms. It is somewhat easier to grow than the American beech and reaches 75’ tall.

62. Red Oak (Quercus rubra) has broad, simple, lobed leaves with bristle tips. Its acorns are bitter to squirrels, which plant them to eat after white oak acorns are gone. It grows relatively quickly and has red fall color.

63. ‘Sugar Tyme’ Crabapple (Malus ‘Sugar Tyme’) has an upright oval form with glossy deep green simple leaves. Flowers begin as pink buds and open to sparkling white. The small red fruits cover the branches in the fall and persist into late winter. It is very disease resistant.

64. Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa) has simple, deeply lobed leaves which are broader at the top than at the base. It has very corky bark which has protected many bur oaks from prairie fires. They produce large acorns and can live for 300 years. It is one of the most massive of Ohio’s trees.

65. Paperbark Maple (Acer griseum) has a compound leaf with toothed margins. The bark exfoliates like birch, but with a cinnamon color. It is a native of China,introduced into this country in 1901. The leaves turn a brilliant red in autumn. The tree is relatively free of pests.

66. Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum) has deeply lobed, simple leaves that are silvery underneath. It is relatively short-lived and fast growing, and its wood is neither strong nor durable.

Updated 4/08

Parks & Forestry Division
Parks & Recreation Department
City of Upper Arlington
3600 Tremont Road
Upper Arlington, OH 43221
Phone: 614-583-5340