The University City Tree Walk Route
On foot, this is a leisurely one to one and a half hour walk. You'll not only
enjoy the trees highlighted here, but so may other fine trees,
shrubs, flowers, and some of University City's finest architecture.
You can start anywhere along the tour, but most generally start at City Hall
and from there head west first. The tree is located in front of the
building, to the right of the lion gate entry.
Tree 1 - Overcup oak
Overcup
oak is a Missouri native growing mostly in bottomlands along the Mississippi
River and in the Missouri Bootheel. Its common name is derived from the fact
that its rounded .75-1 inch nut is almost covered by its cap. This particular tree is 33.5 inches in diameter.
From here we walk/ride north on Trinity and almost immediately make a left on Princeton. Go down Princeton and then Yale. The switch in street names is marked by a slight bend to the right. Keep your eyes open for a walkway on your left, less than a hundred feet from the corner of the block. That walkway will lead you into Lewis Park. Go past the playground (on the left) and stay on the left side of the pond. Keep walking towards Delmar and as the ground rises, you are level with tree stop #2.
Overcup
oak is a Missouri native growing mostly in bottomlands along the Mississippi
River and in the Missouri Bootheel. Its common name is derived from the fact
that its rounded .75-1 inch nut is almost covered by its cap. This particular tree is 33.5 inches in diameter.
From here we walk/ride north on Trinity and almost immediately make a left on Princeton. Go down Princeton and then Yale. The switch in street names is marked by a slight bend to the right. Keep your eyes open for a walkway on your left, less than a hundred feet from the corner of the block. That walkway will lead you into Lewis Park. Go past the playground (on the left) and stay on the left side of the pond. Keep walking towards Delmar and as the ground rises, you are level with tree stop #2.
Tree 2 - Serviceberry
Serviceberries are Missouri natives,
generally growing as a multi-stem understory tree in open rocky woods, wooded slopes and bluffs.
To continue, take the steps up to Delmar Blvd and head west (to your right). At the traffic light (Midland), cross the street and enter Overhill Drive just to the east of the First Presbyterian Church. Follow Overhill Dr to Greenway and make a right. Go for another hundred feet.
Serviceberries are Missouri natives,
generally growing as a multi-stem understory tree in open rocky woods, wooded slopes and bluffs. To continue, take the steps up to Delmar Blvd and head west (to your right). At the traffic light (Midland), cross the street and enter Overhill Drive just to the east of the First Presbyterian Church. Follow Overhill Dr to Greenway and make a right. Go for another hundred feet.
Tree 3 - American Elm
T
his tree is located on a lot between two residences
at 7227-7241 Greenway. There is a juniper hedge with a wrought iron gate
directly in front of the tree.The trunk of this tree is 65 inches in diameter.
American Elm is a medium to large deciduous tree, native to eastern and central
North America. In Missouri, it typically occurs in low moist ground and
along streams throughout the state, Although once widely planted as a street
and lawn tree, American elm populations have been so decimated by Dutch Elm
Disease that this tree is no longer considered to be a viable selection for
landscape uses.
Retrace your steps back to Overhill Dr and continue to head south on Overhill to Kingsbury. Turn right and enjoy a Dawn Redwood directly in front of 7233 Kingsbury.
T
his tree is located on a lot between two residences
at 7227-7241 Greenway. There is a juniper hedge with a wrought iron gate
directly in front of the tree.The trunk of this tree is 65 inches in diameter.
American Elm is a medium to large deciduous tree, native to eastern and central
North America. In Missouri, it typically occurs in low moist ground and
along streams throughout the state, Although once widely planted as a street
and lawn tree, American elm populations have been so decimated by Dutch Elm
Disease that this tree is no longer considered to be a viable selection for
landscape uses.Retrace your steps back to Overhill Dr and continue to head south on Overhill to Kingsbury. Turn right and enjoy a Dawn Redwood directly in front of 7233 Kingsbury.
Tree 4 - Dawn Redwood
The
Dawn redwood is a fast-growing, deciduous conifer, native to China. While the
shortest of the redwoods, it can grow to at least 200 feet in height. The specimen
at 7233 Kingsbury has a circumference of 103 inches or just under 9 feet and
is over 60 feet tall. This tree does best where it has a lot of space to grow.
From there, enter Flynn Park directly to the south. Our next tree stop is located just to the north of the center walkway.
The
Dawn redwood is a fast-growing, deciduous conifer, native to China. While the
shortest of the redwoods, it can grow to at least 200 feet in height. The specimen
at 7233 Kingsbury has a circumference of 103 inches or just under 9 feet and
is over 60 feet tall. This tree does best where it has a lot of space to grow.From there, enter Flynn Park directly to the south. Our next tree stop is located just to the north of the center walkway.
Tree 5 - Wingnut
Native from the Caucasus to northern Iran, Caucasian wingnut gets its interesting
name from its fruit. After spring flowering, small green winged nutlets develop
in the female catkins in early summer, forming pendulous strings to 20” long.
Nutlets mature to brown in late summer to early fall, often persisting on the
tree into winter. This is a deciduous tree in the walnut family that typically
grows 30-60’ (less frequently to 90’) tall with a rounded, broad-spreading
habit. The genus name comes from ptero (winged) and carya (hickory).
Exit Flynn Park to the east and head down Waterman Ave to 7159 Waterman.
Native from the Caucasus to northern Iran, Caucasian wingnut gets its interesting
name from its fruit. After spring flowering, small green winged nutlets develop
in the female catkins in early summer, forming pendulous strings to 20” long.
Nutlets mature to brown in late summer to early fall, often persisting on the
tree into winter. This is a deciduous tree in the walnut family that typically
grows 30-60’ (less frequently to 90’) tall with a rounded, broad-spreading
habit. The genus name comes from ptero (winged) and carya (hickory). Exit Flynn Park to the east and head down Waterman Ave to 7159 Waterman.
Tree 6 - Black Gum
This native Missouri tree is a Plant of Merit, as designated by a consortium
led by the Missouri Botanical Garden. The Plants of Merit Program
aims to raise the public’s awareness of beautiful and environmentally
friendly plants for the home landscape. This tree is not to be confused with
Sweet gum, to which it is not related.
Its inconspicuous greenish white flowers bloom in May and June, and are an excellent nectar source for bees. Flowers give way to oval, 1/2" long fruits which are technically edible but quite sour, hence the common name. Fruits mature to a dark blue and are attractive to birds and wildlife. It has spectacular scarlet fall color and is a good choice for a street tree.
Continue east on Waterman to 7011 Waterman Blvd.
This native Missouri tree is a Plant of Merit, as designated by a consortium
led by the Missouri Botanical Garden. The Plants of Merit Program
aims to raise the public’s awareness of beautiful and environmentally
friendly plants for the home landscape. This tree is not to be confused with
Sweet gum, to which it is not related.Its inconspicuous greenish white flowers bloom in May and June, and are an excellent nectar source for bees. Flowers give way to oval, 1/2" long fruits which are technically edible but quite sour, hence the common name. Fruits mature to a dark blue and are attractive to birds and wildlife. It has spectacular scarlet fall color and is a good choice for a street tree.
Continue east on Waterman to 7011 Waterman Blvd.
Tree 7 - Lindentree
The American linden is a Missouri native tree that can grow quite large.
Its leaves are simple, shaped like a lopsided heart with a serrated margin
and are alternately arranged. Small creamy flowers in June hang in clusters
that are hardly noticable, but have a wonderful sweet fragrance. They provide
nectar for honey bees, hence the common name "bee tree". Flowers
can be steeped for a medicinal tea. Linden wood is used for furniture and
for carving.
Continue east to the end of the block (Williams) and go north one block. Make a right on Kingsbury and proceed to 7012 Kingsbury.
The American linden is a Missouri native tree that can grow quite large.
Its leaves are simple, shaped like a lopsided heart with a serrated margin
and are alternately arranged. Small creamy flowers in June hang in clusters
that are hardly noticable, but have a wonderful sweet fragrance. They provide
nectar for honey bees, hence the common name "bee tree". Flowers
can be steeped for a medicinal tea. Linden wood is used for furniture and
for carving. Continue east to the end of the block (Williams) and go north one block. Make a right on Kingsbury and proceed to 7012 Kingsbury.
Tree 8 - Silver Linden
Silver linden is a native of southeastern Europe and western Asia. It
was introduced to North America during the colonial period. It
can reach a height of 90 feet and has a fast growth rate. The 2 - 5 inch long
leaves are dark green, turning yellow in autumn. The small yellow or creamy flower
clusters bloom in late June or early July. The fruit is a small
nutlet less than 0.5 inches in diameter and appears in late summer. The Silver
linden is tolerant of less than ideal growing conditions, withstanding urban
pollution well.
Just a couple homes away is 7000 Kingsbury and our next tree stop.
Silver linden is a native of southeastern Europe and western Asia. It
was introduced to North America during the colonial period. It
can reach a height of 90 feet and has a fast growth rate. The 2 - 5 inch long
leaves are dark green, turning yellow in autumn. The small yellow or creamy flower
clusters bloom in late June or early July. The fruit is a small
nutlet less than 0.5 inches in diameter and appears in late summer. The Silver
linden is tolerant of less than ideal growing conditions, withstanding urban
pollution well.
Just a couple homes away is 7000 Kingsbury and our next tree stop.
Tree 9 - Gingko Biloba
This
tree is 43 inches in diameter. This is the largest Gingko tree in University
City, probably quite old (80-90 years old) given the slow growing nature
of this species. It is very
resistant to disease and insects and is seldom damaged by storms.
The leaves are fan shaped and turn bright yellow in late fall.
Cross the street at the light on Big Bend and cross to the north side of Kingsbury to 6959.
This
tree is 43 inches in diameter. This is the largest Gingko tree in University
City, probably quite old (80-90 years old) given the slow growing nature
of this species. It is very
resistant to disease and insects and is seldom damaged by storms.
The leaves are fan shaped and turn bright yellow in late fall.Cross the street at the light on Big Bend and cross to the north side of Kingsbury to 6959.
Tree 10 - Lacebark Elm
The northwest end of the 6900 block of Kingsbury has 4 of these trees, all
35 to 40 feet tall with 30 to 35 ft rounded or oval crowns. Lacebarks have
small typical delicate elm leaves and, as their most interesting feature,
gorgeous mottled reddish tan bark, which is smooth at first and becomes flakier with age.
Continue east on Kingsbury to Trinity, make a left and follow the road back to City Hall. Here you may want to pay a second visit to the Overcup oak and rest on one of the benches under its magnificent canopy.
For a printable version of this page to take along on your journey, CLICK HERE
Back to the Tree Walk Main Page
The northwest end of the 6900 block of Kingsbury has 4 of these trees, all
35 to 40 feet tall with 30 to 35 ft rounded or oval crowns. Lacebarks have
small typical delicate elm leaves and, as their most interesting feature,
gorgeous mottled reddish tan bark, which is smooth at first and becomes flakier with age.
Continue east on Kingsbury to Trinity, make a left and follow the road back to City Hall. Here you may want to pay a second visit to the Overcup oak and rest on one of the benches under its magnificent canopy.
For a printable version of this page to take along on your journey, CLICK HERE
Back to the Tree Walk Main Page