Baltimore’s official tree has remained rooted in history for more than 50 years, since former Mayor William Donald Schaefer selected it in 1974.
But Schaefer’s pick, the ‘Chanticleer’ pear (Pyrus calleryana ‘Chanticleer’), known more commonly as Callery or Bradford pear, is high-maintenance and invasive to the region.
That’s why the city is branching out to name its replacement – and they want your help to choose it.
The Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks launched a public poll on TreeBaltimore’s website. TreeBaltimore is a mayoral initiative to increase the city’s tree canopy to 40% coverage. The current canopy’s coverage is 27.4%.
Members of the public can vote in the poll through June 6. The new official tree will be announced Aug. 27 at the TreeBaltimore Summer Gathering.
The Chanticleer pear tree outcompetes native species and requires significantly more branch maintenance, city officials said.
They added that the warming climate, as well as the pear tree being more prone to disease and pests, has prompted Rec & Parks to find a more suitable tree for Baltimore.
“We’re excited to launch this poll on the heels of Arbor Day, a day dedicated to trees and their importance,”Rec & Parks director Dr. Reginald Moore said in a statement. “A lot has changed since the ‘Chanticleer’ pear was chosen. It’s hotter, and there are more diseases and pests. The final candidates are more resilient and will better serve the city of Baltimore.”
Rec & Parks’ Forestry division and TreeBaltimore partners reviewed public nominations and determined six finalists: Bald cypress, Bitternut hickory, Blackgum, Overcup oak, American sycamore and Tuliptree.
They chose finalist trees that were native to the Mid-Atlantic region, ideally Maryland; resistant to climate change, disease and pests; provide a larger canopy; currently found in Baltimore City; not already overplanted in the city; and that encourage community stewardship.
“While the existing ‘Chanticleer’ pears in our rights-of-way and parks provide valuable canopy and benefit today, we want to energize our partners and the public to embrace a tree that provides more benefit to our changing environment while embodying the spirit and culture of Baltimore,” said Matt Rescott, Rec & Parks’ forestry chief.
Starting in 2027, the city will honor the selected tree and include it in plantings. It will join the diverse range of other tree species already planted in streets and parks, support the agency’s biodiversity goals, and help protect against pests and diseases.
TreeBaltimore engages residents to remove invasive plants and protect native species through the Baltimore City Weed Warriors volunteer program, and plant and prune trees through the Baltimore TreeKeepers free tree stewardship program.
Residents can contact TreeBaltimore to request a tree for their yard or street, or to participate in various stewardship events.
