TreeBaltimore, Baltimore, MD (2026)

05/30/2026

Along Baltimore’s streets, what you may think is a sycamore is probably actually a London planetree. American sycamores are most commonly found along our streams in natural areas and planted in parks and open spaces.

American sycamore is native to the Baltimore region. London planetree is a hybrid of both Oriental planetree and American sycamore, and is more tolerant of pollution and urban conditions.

Here are a few ways to tell the difference: 1) Sycamores will have seed balls that grow singly (one ball per stalk) while London planetree often grows seed balls in pairs (occasionally one or three).

2)Sycamore leaves are noticeably wider than they are long, while those of the London planetree have deeper sinuses and resemble a maple leaf in shape.

3)The bark is varied. Sycamore has very white bark that is mottled all the way down the trunk while London planetree has greenish tint with thicker, dark brown bark at the base.

As we close out American sycamore week, enjoy photos the City Champion, located on private property in West Baltimore. It scores 333 big tree points. Its circumference is 172” with a spread of 113.5’. At 133’ it is the second tallest measured tree in Baltimore.

In other parts of the country, American sycamore is know as buttonwood. The fine-grained wood was once used to make buttons on clothing and shoes.

Head to our website where you can peruse info on all 6 candidates and cast your vote for the next official city tree! The polls remain open for one more week!treebaltimore.org/official-city-tree

05/29/2026

As American sycamore week continues, we would be remiss not to cover a common fungal disease called Anthracnose (Apiognomonia spp.) that affects both sycamores and their relative, the London planetree.

This fungal disease overwinters in the buds, twigs, fruit, and fallen leaves of affected trees. Rainy weather causes the fungal spores to spread from one infected leaf to another. Symptoms of this infection include new leaves that wilt and drop off the tree in early spring, which may cause the tree to look dead. ☠️ Although the disease is rarely fatal and trees will grow a second set of leaves, repeat infections can result in abnormal branching and leave a tree stressed and more susceptible to other diseases and pests.

Fortunately, when temperatures increase, and the rain stops, Anthracnose will become inactive. Trees can generally begin to push out a new flush of healthy foliage and thrive through the summer months. 🍃

This particular young London planetree, planted by our partners at Midtown Community Benefits District in the Bolton Hill neighborhood, appeared dead after most other trees had leafed out, but after several weeks, it grew a second set of leaves and is now thriving.

Head to our website where you can peruse info on all 6 candidates and cast your vote for the next official city tree!! treebaltimore.org/official-city-tree

05/28/2026

Event reminder! Please join us for a book discussion on "The Power of Trees" by Peter Wohlleben: How Ancient Forests Can Save Us if We Let Them. We are meeting in-person for a conversation this Thursday, May 28th from 6-8pm at the B.Willow shop in Re*****on.

This event will be co-hosted by B.Willow owner and JHU Environmental Science graduate, Liz Vayda, and Urban Forester for Baltimore City Forestry Division, Zoe Gensheimer. We will wrap up the evening with a panel of dedicated staff from Camp Small and the W**d Warriors program.

NOTE: You do not need to read the book to attend! The discussion will be framed in a way that engages all tree-enthusiasts. So don't delay and sign up today at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bwillow-tree-baltimore-book-club-tickets-1985331789827

05/27/2026

It’s Day 33 of the New City Tree Campaign. New week, new tree.

Today we are marveling at these photos of MARYLAND’S LARGEST KNOWN TREE, an American sycamore located in Montgomery County in Dickerson Conservation Park. This giant is 326 inches in diameter, 145 feet tall and has a canopy spread of 111 feet. Now that's big!

American sycamore is a fast-growing shade tree that is recognizable year-round by distinctive multi-colored peeling bark, revealing smooth white patches underneath. It is also identifiable by large leaves and long-stalked spherical seed balls that remain on the limbs through winter.

Sycamore is widely planted as a majestic park tree that thrives in rich and moist soil, preferring lowland areas such as streams, rivers and flood plains. Large hollows in older trees were historically used by chimney swifts!

This species can be easily confused with London planetree (Platanus x acerifolia), an urban-tolerant hybrid commonly planted along our streets.

Keep an eye out for more identification tips and fun facts in the coming days.

Photos and nomination thanks to mdbigtrees.org. Head to their website to see more impressive sycamores across the state.

You can peruse info on all 6 candidates and cast your vote at treebaltimore.org/official-city-tree

05/24/2026

n a forest setting, tulip tree trunks are straight and tall, not branching until very high up in the tree. Large, showy flowers bloom in the canopy in late spring. These blossoms are a creamy yellow color with a bright orange band near the center.

Tuliptrees produce large quantities of nectar, making them a valuable source of honey. Along with insects, the nectar provides a sugary treat for hummingbirds, Baltimore orioles, and even some mammals like raccoons or the occasional adventurous human.

Speaking of orioles, tuliptree’s towering growth form makes it an appealing site for the hanging nests of Baltimore’s favorite bird. Ornithological drawings often pair tulip poplars and Baltimore orioles because of this association.

You can peruse information on all 6 candidate profiles and VOTE at treebaltimore.org/official-city-tree (or our link in bio).

We only have two tree candidates left to highlight before the polls close, so stay tuned for fun facts on American sycamore and bitternut hickory!

The online poll will close at 11:59pm on Saturday, June 6th. The new official City Tree of Baltimore will be announced at the TreeBaltimore Summer Gathering on Thursday, August 27th.

Photo credits: Drawing is from the National Gallery of Art’s Public Domain Collection Dataset. Photo is by lwolfartist, CC BY 2.0.

05/22/2026

One of the tallest trees native to the northeast, tuliptrees can reach up to 200 feet in height under ideal conditions, and can live for up to 300 years.

Behold the tallest tuliptree in the state! This fine specimen in the first photo also happens to be the 2nd largest tuliptree in Baltimore City, and the 3rd tallest tree (of any species!) in the state! It has 386 pts, with a 208” circumference, 156’ height, and 87’ spread.

The second tree is the Baltimore City champion tuliptree, leading with 396 Pts - 243" circumference, 133' Height, and 79.5' spread. This tree is privately owned in Northeast Baltimore.

Vote for your favorite new city tree on our website at https://www.treebaltimore.org/official-city-tree

05/20/2026

Tuliptree leaves have a unique shape that help make this tree easy to identify. With their rounded bases and pointed upper lobes, some say the leaf shape looks like the shape of a tulip flower; others think it looks like a cat’s face. These leaves emerge in early spring and eventually turn a lovely golden yellow in the fall.

Not only are tuliptree's leaves noteworthy, but the wood is unusual as well. While trees are typically categorized as either softwood or hardwood, recent research has shown that tuliptrees are somewhere in between. They are now placed in a 3rd category called "midwood." This difference in structure allows them to grow quickly while still remaining strong, and to be extremely effective at sequestering carbon. Learn more at https://theconversation.com/how-we-discovered-a-new-type-of-wood-and-how-it-could-help-fight-climate-change-236618

(Bark and fall color photo: Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0)

Vote for your favorite new city tree on our website at https://www.treebaltimore.org/official-city-tree

05/17/2026

Before we head into tuliptree week, we want to highlight two more king-sized bald cypresses.

The first photo shows residents gathered round the massive bole (trunk) of the second largest bald cypress in Baltimore, located in Evesham Park near Northern Parkway and York Rd.

The second shows yet another gorgeous notable bald cypress, the 3rd largest in the city, located in Clifton Park, adjacent to the State Co-Champ.

The State of Maryland has been measuring big trees since 1925, and boasts the oldest program in the nation. Large trees are irreplaceable assets in our urban forest. They provide enormous economic and environmental benefits that only increase with age.

The TreeBaltimore team is excited to announce the next Notable Tree Bus Tour on Saturday, June 13th from 10am-1pm. Participants will get the chance to glimpse multiple bald cypresses and countless other leafy giants on this unique excursion.

Registration is open, and space is limited, so sign up today on our calendar at https://www.treebaltimore.org/treeevents

05/15/2026

Bald cypress week continues at TreeBaltimore as we celebrate the many unique attributes of this wonderful native species.

The Maryland Co-Champion is located in Clifton Park. Yep, Baltimore City is tied with Calvert County for the largest bald cypress in the whole state!

You can find this girthy specimen just south of the hidden gardeners cottage, which was built when Clifton Mansion was a summer estate belonging to Johns Hopkins.

It is 279 inches in circumference, 82 feet in height, and has a 57 foot canopy spread, giving it a total score of 375 points. Check out its “knees” coming up out of the ground in photo 3.

Learn more about the largest trees across Maryland at mdbigtrees.org

Vote for your favorite new city tree on our website at https://www.treebaltimore.org/official-city-tree

05/13/2026

Hey Baltimore! It’s Day 20 of The New City Tree Campaign – 6 weeks – 6 Trees. Each week one of the trees will take over TreeBaltimore’s social media.

This week we’re shining the spotlight on Bald cypress. It’s called "bald" because, unlike almost all other members of the cypress family, it loses its leaves in the winter.

As seen on this first photo of an amazing street tree in the Homeland neighborhood, bald cypress has finely textured bark and muscular fluting/buttressing that helps stabilize the tree in swampy conditions. Bald cypresses generally develop strong single trunks, and due to naturally rot-resistant wood, are typically healthy and long-lived, even in urban conditions!

You’re still reading? Ok so they also form knobbly, above-ground structures as part of their root systems (like mangroves) in very wet conditions called pneumatophores, or, knees. The knees grow upwards in order to facilitate gas exchange, as wet soils are usually oxygen-deficient.

Stay tuned this week for a peek at the largest bald cypress in the State!

PS. Keep an eye out for the bicycle 🚲 in the photo as our staff tour the city to show you the biggest and best bald cypress around.

You can peruse information on all 6 candidate profiles and VOTE at https://www.treebaltimore.org/official-city-tree

Each week from April 27-June 6, we will highlight one of the candidates on our social media to provide in-depth information on why that species would be a great choice.

The online poll will close at 11:59pm on Saturday, June 6th. The new official City Tree of Baltimore will be announced at the TreeBaltimore Summer Gathering on Thursday, August 27th.

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