Invasive to the region, costly to maintain, and with flowers bearing an unpleasant odor some liken to rotting fish, the Chanticleer pear tree has been a less-than-ideal representative of Baltimore.
Yet, for more than 50 years, the species – also known as the Callery or Bradford pear – has served as the city’s official tree.
Its tenure came to an end Thursday evening as Baltimore unveiled its new official city tree, as selected through public voting.
The Tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera) emerged as residents’ top pick among six climate-resilient native trees vying for the title. It was unveiled during TreeBaltimore’s Summer Gathering at Cylburn Arboretum, which included a mock race reminiscent of the hot dog race at Oriole Park between Ketchup, Mustard, and Relish — except in this version the competitors were the six trees running to represent Baltimore.
“Baltimore is a city that is always growing, changing and looking toward the future, and our urban forest should be no different,” Mayor Brandon M. Scott said. “Our new official City Tree represents our commitment to creating a greener, healthier and more resilient Baltimore, and I’m proud that Baltimore residents had a voice in choosing a tree that will represent our city for generations to come.”
“Today’s unveiling reflects the forward-thinking work happening every day within our Forestry team,” said Dr. Reginald Moore, director of Baltimore City Recreation & Parks. “They are making thoughtful, science-based decisions to protect the health of Baltimore’s forests, environment and communities for the next several decades.”
About 2,000 people cast votes from April 27 through June 6, including 1,500 by Baltimore City residents. The Tuliptree garnered a commanding 300-vote lead.
The other trees that were under consideration included Bald cypress, Bitternut hickory, Blackgum, Overcup oak, and American sycamore.
The high vote count was a welcome sight for Stephanie Helms, an urban forester with the Forestry Division of Baltimore City Recreation and Parks.
“Trees aren’t just a garnish on the city,” she said. “They’re essential city infrastructure that make a city healthy, livable, and a wonderful place to work, play, and live.”
Roots going back decades
In 1974, Mayor William Donald Schaefer selected the Chanticleer pear to be the city’s official tree.
At the time, it was a popular new cultivar among the nursery trade, with cities along the East and West coasts planting them. It could handle urban stressors, had beautiful spring flowers and vibrant fall foliage, and was used to replace the unique shape of American elms that were wiped out by Dutch elm disease, Helms said.
However, foresters would later learn that the species behaves invasively and can take over green spaces. It also has a branch structure that requires a good deal of maintenance, making it a more expensive tree to support.
Baltimore ceased planting Chanticleer pear trees about 20 years ago, according to Helms.
“Once they end their useful life, we do remove and replace them with something native,” she said. “We’re not obviously calling for the wholesale removal of them. We’re trying to retain as much valuable canopy as we can, but it’s something we’re not looking to promote anymore.”
So earlier this year, when Baltimore’s forestry staff and partners were discussing National Invasive Species Awareness Week – recognized annually during the last full week of February – they saw an opportunity to change the city’s official tree from something invasive to native.
Branching out to the community
Rather than merely relying on subject matter experts to compile the list, Baltimore’s foresters wanted the public to have a voice in the process.
“We really wanted to see what resonated in the hearts and minds of residents of Baltimore,” Helms said.
Nominations were accepted online as well as through an in-person ballot box at the Forestry Division’s winter gathering. Community members not only shared which trees they associate with Baltimore City, but also why and what tree stories have stuck with them.
One person called the American sycamore “the sentinel of the stream,” Helms recalled.
Another quoted Walt Whitman’s poem “Trees,” which described the Tuliptree as “the Apollo of the woods/Tall and graceful, yet robust and sinewy/Inimitable in hang of foliage and throwing out of limb.”
“We were all kind of emotional when we were reading it because just the flowing of love and everything for Baltimore City’s trees and what they meant to people was really touching, and really gave us a glimpse into how people see trees in their lives,” Helms said.
Staff tallied the trees that kept showing up in nominations. Then, they ran them through a set of criteria: they were looking for a large shade tree, native to the region, resistant to pests, and climate resilient – a species that will not only do well now, but will thrive into the future amid a changing climate.
“What’s a tree that we really want people to get out and celebrate, plant, and protect?” Helms asked.
They came away with the six finalists that residents were ultimately able to vote on.
Why the Tuliptree
Aside from receiving the most votes, why should the Tuliptree be Baltimore’s official tree?
For starters, its leaves have a unique cat-like shape.
“You could draw like a little cat face on it,” Helms said. “It looks like it’s got the ears and the whiskers and everything. It also looks like a tulip, obviously, hence the name.”
Despite its name, the Tuliptree is not closely related to tulips, lilies or poplars. It’s actually in the magnolia family.
Known for its tremendous size and fast growth, able to reach heights of up to 200 feet and live up to 300 years.
The Tuliptree produces nectar and other food for wildlife. It also serves as shelter to various animals, including raccoons, squirrels, insects, and even the Baltimore oriole.
And yes, the fact that its flowers don’t give off a sickening smell like its predecessor is a definite plus.
“It actually smells quite pleasant,” Helms said. “I think sometimes the only disadvantage is because it’s such a big tree and its flowers are so high up, by the time you really see the flowers, sometimes it’s on the ground. But to anyone who can attest to smells, it actually smells pretty good.”
“Way better than a stinky tree, right?” she added.
Looking toward future growth
Baltimore will begin incorporating the Tuliptree into plantings in 2027.
Given its large size, it’s not typically something the city would plant as a street tree, Helms said, so they will be working with partners to pepper Tuliptrees among park plantings.
They will be one of the many diverse species contributing to the TreeBaltimore initiative of expanding the city’s tree canopy to 40% by 2037. Baltimore’s tree canopy currently sits at 28%. The city and its partners have planted more than 60,000 trees as part of this initiative since 2007.
The city is also planning to conduct a tree inventory to gather up-to-date information on the number and types of trees that call the city home, and what space is available to increase the canopy.
“It’s been a huge effort given, especially, just all the different urban stressors that all cities face in terms of climate change, storms, heat stress, and also just losing space to plant trees in general and in terms of construction,” Helms said. “So certainly, we’re not unique in terms of what other cities and everything face, but we’ve made monumental strides towards that 40% goal.”
