- On southwest corner of Elm Grove Avenue and King Street
- Photo: © Emily Nixon
Running along the sidewalk on the west side of Elm Grove Avenue in a grassed yard of new town homes is a row of lovely young red oaks (Quercus rubra). The trees are about 10 years old. They have nice form and are growing well as indicated by their full canopies and lush green appearance when in leaf. Although oaks are often considered slow growing, the red oak is an exception. When grown on moist, well-drained soil, a red oak can grow up to 2 feet per year. They are able to withstand city pollution and take on a beautiful symmetrical shape as they get older.
Along the front of the town homes facing King Street is a row of honey locusts (Gleditisia triacanthos) that are also growing well. An easy way to identify honey locusts is their small yellow-green leaflets lining the stems of compound leaves. Often when infill housing is created, buildings are erected flush against the sidewalk allowing little space for greenery. This development is a model for other urban infill developments as they’ve provided the space and soil to grow enough trees to completely shade these town homes in the future. This will reduce cooling costs and save energy. These trees will also provide welcome shade to pedestrians walking by in summer.
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