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Newport, Rhode Island, United States

Gilded Age North Tree Walk

Visit incredible specimen trees and legendary Newport landmarks. Courtesy of The Newport Arboretum.

Gilded Age North Tree Walk
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Difficulty: Easy
Length: 3.0 miles / 4.8 km
Duration: 1-3 hours
Family Friendly • Dog Friendly
 
Overview: As the center of city life during Newport’s reign as the Gilded Age’s ‘Queen of Resorts,’ Bellevue Avenue has been rightly called Rhode Island’s most famous street. The Gilded Age North and Gilded Age South tree walks feature specimen trees gracing the landscapes of Newport’s incredible Gilded Age mansions

Please see last POI for all photo attributions.

Points of Interest

Animals/Wildlife
map

Fernleaf Beech

Fernleaf Beech
Fagus sylvatica ‘Asplenifolia’

The European Beech is Newport’s signature tree. Native to Europe, it was widely planted during the Gilded Age and thrives in Newport’s temperate seaside climate. Newport’s largest beeches rival the finest specimens in the world. The variety, ‘Asplenifolia,’ is a particularly elegant example of a European Beech, and many impressive specimens of this variety are found around the city.

The root system of the Eurpean beech is very shallow. The trees rely on a symbiotic relationship between their roots and soil fungi, forming ectomycorrhizas (a type of mycorrhiza, see photo below) that help the tree absorb water and nutrients.
Animals/Wildlife
map

Kingscote
One of the earliest Newport “cottages,” Kingscote is a landmark of the Gothic Revival style in American architecture. When George Noble Jones, a southern plantation owner, build Kingscote, Bellevue Avenue was a farm path.

Like many southerners who owned properties in Newport, the Jones family left Kingscote at the start of the Civil War, never to return.

In 1876 China trade merchant, William Henry King hired the famed architectural firm of McKim, Mead and White to renovate the house in conjunction with Louis Comfort Tiffany.
Kingscote is a National Historic Landmark.
Animals/Wildlife
map

English Yew
Yews count among the longest living organisms on earth. The ancient Llangernyw Yew (Taxus baccata) is the oldest individual tree in Europe and second or third oldest individual tree in the world. It is believed to be between 4,000 years and 5,000 years.

The yew is often found in churchyards from the British Isles and France to Galicia. In France, the oldest yew trees are located in Norman churchyards and a chapel was very often laid out in the hollow trunk. It is said that up to 40 people could stand inside one of the La-Haye-de-Routot yew trees.

The yew is also associated with Wales and England because it is the wood of choice for longbow making. The heartwood of yew is on the inside of the bow while the sapwood is on the outside.

One of the world's oldest surviving wooden artifacts is a yew spearhead found in Essex, UK. It is estimated to be 450,000 years old.
Animals/Wildlife
map

European Beech

The European Beech is Newport’s signature tree. Native to Europe, it was widely planted during the Gilded Age and thrives in Newport’s temperate seaside climate. Newport’s largest beeches rival the finest specimens in the world.

The root system of the Eurpean Beech is very shallow. The trees rely on a symbiotic relationship between their roots and soil fungi, forming ectomycorrhizas (a type of mycorrhiza, see photo below) that help the tree absorb water and nutrients.
Animals/Wildlife
map

American Holly

American Holly
Ilex opaca

Native to the eastern United States, American Holly typically grows in the understory of a forest.

Like all hollies, Ilex opaca is dioecious, with separate male and female plants; only female plants produce the characteristic red berries. Many songbirds shelter in and feed on the berries of this northeastern native.
Animals/Wildlife
map

Blue Atlas Cedar
Blue Atlas Cedar
Cedrus atlantica ‘Glauca’

The Blue Atlas Cedar is an evergreen admired for its ornamental silvery blue green needles and symmetrical form.

Native to the Atlas Mountains of Algeria and Morocco, the Atlas Cedar is sometimes considered a subspecies of Lebanon Cedar;

!FUN FACT!
Atlas Cedar forests in the Atlas Mountains provide a habitat for the endangered Barbary Macaque. The tailless Macaca sylvanus is known as the Barbary Ape.
Information
map

Information Station
Animals/Wildlife
map

Isaac Bell House
Designed by the architectural firm of McKim, Mead and White, the Isaac Bell House is one of the best surviving examples of shingle style architecture in the country.

The Shingle Style was pioneered by Henry Hobson Richardson in his design for the William Watts Sherman House, also in Newport RI

The Isaac Bell House is a National Historic Landmark.

FIND THE FOLLOWING LABELED TREES AS YOU PASS THE ISAAC BELL HOUSE:

Horsechestnut
Aesculus hippocastanum

Prized for its showy white flowers in early May, this tree is well planted throughout the city. Newport also has a reddish-pink flowering variety, Aesculus x carnea. Horsechestnuts are very tolerant of ocean and wind conditions. The seed pods and fruit are a favorite of children and resemble a buck’s eye. The Horsechestnut, originally imported from Balkan Peninsula, is a relative of our native Buckeye.


American Elm
Ulmus americana

As with many New England cities and towns, Newport once was awash with American Elms, until the devastating fungal disease. This impressive elm is one of a half dozen or so American Elms that have survived Dutch Elm disease on the island.

The American Elm was a dominant tree in cities because of its unusally long, straight trunk that holds its canopy well above utility lines. Some American cities which used elms as their primary shade tree had had some of the finest urban tree canopies in the nation until the disease obliterated their elm population in the late 1960s and early 1970s. This demonstrates the importance of species diversity in an urban forest.

An American elm named Herbie was the tallest American elm in New England until succumbed to Dutch Elm Disease and was cut down on January 19, 2010 (see photo below). Herbie was 110 feet (34 m) tall. Dendroclimatologists will use cross-sections of the trunk to help answer questions about climate during the tree's lifetime. When cut down, Herbie was 217 years old.

Flowering Dogwood
Cornus florida

Native to eastern North America, the Cornus Florida is a popular flowering tree but it often develops dogwood anthracnose. The Kousa Dogwood is commonly planted as a substitute for the Flowering Dogwood because it is resistant to anthracnose disease (caused by the fungus Discula destructive).
Animals/Wildlife
map

Northern Red Oak
Northern Red Oak
Quercus rubra

Native to North America, the Northern Red Oak is one of the most important oaks for U.S. timber production and its wood is of high value. It is a long-lived species, with a lifespan of up to 500 years.

!FUN FACT!
The grain in Red Oak wood is so open that smoke can be blown through it from end to end on a flat-sawn board.
Animals/Wildlife
map

Mongolian Oak

Mongolian Oak
Quercus mongolica

Th is Mongolian Oak is one of the most impressive trees in Newport. Its shape is unique with its short, wide trunk and odd confi guration of branches. Notice how it is more wide than it is tall.
Animals/Wildlife
map

European Beech

European Beech
Fagus sylvatica

The European Beech is Newport’s signature tree. Native to Europe, it was widely planted during the Gilded Age and thrives in Newport’s temperate seaside climate. Newport’s largest beeches rival the finest specimens in the world.

The root system of the Eurpean beech is very shallow. The trees rely on a symbiotic relationship between their roots and soil fungi, forming ectomycorrhizas (a type of mycorrhiza, see photo below) that help the tree absorb water and nutrients.
Animals/Wildlife
map

European Beeches
These European Beeches have been sheered to create a manicured look. The younger beeches that replaced declining Norway Maples will be sheered to match the more mature trees.
Animals/Wildlife
map

American Sweetgum

American Sweetgum
Liquidambar styraciflua

Sweetgum is a common hardwood of the South. An interesting tree because of its furrowed “winged” bark (it is sometimes called Alligator wood because of its reptilian bark) and undulating branches, the Sweetgum has valued fruit that supports many birds and small animals. It also boasts intense fall color.
Landmark
map

The Elms
The Elms

In 1898, the coal baron, Edward Julius Berwind, engaged architect Horace Trumbauer to design a house modeled after the mid-18th century French chateau d’Asnieres.

Like many Gilded Age Newport “cottages,” The Elms has a steel frame and a limestone façade.
The elaborate Classical Revival gardens, developed from 1907 to 1914, were designed by C. H. Miller and E. W. Bowditch. The American Elms that graced the landscape have succumbed to Dutch Elm disease.
Animals/Wildlife
map

Weeping European Beech

Weeping European Beech
Fagus sylvatica ‘Pendula’

The strong stature of the beech along with its cascading and elegant branches makes the weeping beech a favorite variety. The branching structure gives a dramatic tunnel effect, and children often play underneath the branches.

Fagus, the beech genus, comprises ten species of deciduous trees native to temperate Europe, Asia, and North America.

The European Beech is Newport’s signature tree, and a majestic Weeping European Beech becomes the focal point of any landscape.
Animals/Wildlife
map

Information Station
Animals/Wildlife
map

Horsechestnut
Prized for its showy white flowers in early May, this tree is well planted throughout the city. Newport also has a reddish-pink flowering variety, Aesculus x carnea. Horsechestnuts are very tolerant of ocean and wind conditions. The seed pods and fruit are a favorite of children and resemble a buck’s eye. The Horsechestnut, originally imported from Balkan Peninsula, is a relative of our native Buckeye.
Animals/Wildlife
map

Fernleaf Beech

Fernleaf Beech
Fagus sylvatica


The European Beech is Newport’s signature tree. Native to Europe, it was widely planted during the Gilded Age and thrives in Newport’s temperate seaside climate. Newport’s largest beeches rival the finest specimens in the world. The variety, ‘Asplenifolia,’ is a particularly elegant example of a European Beech, and many impressive specimens of this variety are found around the city.

The root system of the Eurpean beech is very shallow. The trees rely on a symbiotic relationship between their roots and soil fungi, forming ectomycorrhizas (a type of mycorrhiza, see photo below) that help the tree absorb water and nutrients.
Animals/Wildlife
map

Purple European Beech

Purple European Beech
Fagus sylvatica ‘Atropunicea’

Purple Beeches are declining in Newport due to old age, stresses from planting conditions and a fungal disease that attacks many of these vulnerable trees, most of which are over 100 years old.

Other cultivars are threatened as well, but purple beeches appear to be dying at a much faster rate. Newport’s landscape, both historically and culturally, would be devastated by the loss of this species.

Certain Purple European Beech cultivars are known to have a deeper and longer-lasting color. For example, River’s Purple European Beeches are known for their unusually dark purple color, kept throughout the season. This may be the most famous of all beech varieties in England, developed and introduced there by the nursery of Thomas Rivers around 1860.

The root system of the Eurpean beech is very shallow. The trees rely on a symbiotic relationship between their roots and soil fungi, forming ectomycorrhizas (a type of mycorrhiza, see photo below) that help the tree absorb water and nutrients. The lifespan of the European beech is typically 150 to 200 years.

Beeches grow exceptionally well here in Newport’s seaside climate.

! FUN FACT!
The European Beech starts to flower when it is between 30–80 years old.
Animals/Wildlife
map

Japanese Zelkova

Japanese Zelkova
Zelkova serrata

Bellevue Avenue is lined with the Japanese Elm. Resistant to Dutch Elm disease, it is one substitute for our native Elm.

Zelkova are related to Elms and can look similar – but their fruit is not winged like Elm fruit, a good identifying tip.
Animals/Wildlife
map

Weeping Sophora

Weeping Sophora
Sophora japonica ‘Pendula’

Native to eastern Asia, Sophora japonica is one of the 50 fundamental herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine.

!FUN FACT!
The Chinese name for the tree (槐) is composed of the word 木 ("wood") and 鬼 ("demon"). Legend has it that demons were drawn to the tree; in addition, in the wild, other species of trees rarely grow near it.

TREE HUNTERS
According to Dr. Shiu-ying Hu, a former member of the staff of the Arnold Arboretum:

“… Pierre d’Incarville, a Jesuit priest…joined the China Mission in 1740 at the age of thirty-four. Incarville went to China not only as a mature person, but also as a very learned man who had received a botanical education from Bernard de Jussieu, Superintendent of the Jardin Royal des Plantes, Paris. According to
E. Bretschneider, he was a Corresponding Member of the Academy of Science in Paris. He entered China via Macao, and traveled from South China to Peking in North China where he settled and died in 1756.

From 1743 onward, Incarville sent herbarium specimens and seeds
to Jussieu. Ailanthus altissima and Sophora japonica are two of his
introductions that have become well known in the American landscape.
It must be remembered that in the middle eighteenth century,
the botanical-minded individuals in Europe were interested in obtaining
plants of economic importance in eastern Asia for introduction to
their colonies of comparable climate in the Americas. In Incarville’s
trip from Macao to Peking, he had the opportunity to see the agricultural
practices, and to learn about the plants of economic importance from the subtropical region to the temperate region of China.”
Animals/Wildlife
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Rotundiloba Sweetgum
Rotundiloba Sweetgum
Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Rotundiloba’

‘Rotundiloba,’ or Roundleaf Sweetgum, is a sterile cultivar or “fruitless” variety and has unusual, round lobed leaves in the shape of a star. The straight species has pointed star-shaped leaves.
Animals/Wildlife
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Katsura Tree
Katsura Tree
Cercidiphyllum japonicum

A set of Katsura trees flank this driveway entrance. The Katsura is one of the largest of the Asian hardwoods and has delicate, heart-shaped leaves.
Animals/Wildlife
map

Weeping European Beech

Weeping European Beech
Fagus sylvatica ‘Pendula’

A Katsura (Cericidiphyllum japonicum) seedling is growing underneath the canopy of this weeping beech.

Fagus, the beech genus, comprises ten species of deciduous trees native to temperate Europe, Asia, and North America.

The European Beech is Newport’s signature tree, and a majestic Weeping European Beech becomes the focal point of any landscape.
Animals/Wildlife
map

Turkey Oak
Turkey Oak
Quercus cerris

Not to be confused with the American Turkey Oak (Quercus laevis), this Eurasian oak is relatively rare outside of arboretums. Newport is fortunate to have a large collection of striking mature specimens. The acorns are a great source of food for wildlife. Stand back to appreciate the tree’s mighty form and picturesque branching structure.
Animals/Wildlife
map

Japanese Maple
Japanese Maple
Acer palmatum

This classic deciduous tree hangs over the sidewalk, offering dappled light and unusually artistic branch formations.

There are many different (over a thousand) cultivars of Japanese Maple, and even seedlings from the same tree typically show marked genetic differences such as leaf shape, size and color.

! FUN FACT!
In the late 1700’s, Swedish doctor and naturalist Carl Peter Thunberg (1743-1828) traveled to Japan and secreted out drawings of a small tree. He gave it the species the name palmatum after the hand-like shape of its leaves. Thunberg was a student of Carl Linnaeus, and developed the first detailed description of Japanese flora and fauna at a time when few visitors were given access to the islands of Japan.
Animals/Wildlife
map

Weeping European Beech
Weeping European Beech
Fagus sylvatica ‘Pendula’

This wonderful weeping beech in the far left background of the property has layered out into multiple trees.
Animals/Wildlife
map

Paperbark Maple
Paperbark Maple
Acer griseum

Named after its unique reddish-brown exfoliating bark, the Paperbark Maple is a statement piece in the landscape. Recent attempts have been made to acquire new seed stock from wild populations in China because it is believed the current gene pool of cultivated specimens is very small.
Animals/Wildlife
map

Tulip Tree

Tulip Tree
Lirodendron tulipifera

An American native and the tallest eastern hardwood (can reach 190 feet in height), the Tulip Tree is one of the most majestic giants of the Northeast. Distinctively-shaped leaves mimic the bloom of the tulip and turn a rich butter-yellow in autumn. The peculiar flowers, appearing in June and July, are tulip-shaped, yellow-green, and banded with orange at the base of the petals.

! FUN FACT !
Tulip Trees grow readily from seed. Seeds taken from the upper branches of old trees are the most likely to germinate.
Animals/Wildlife
map

Purple European Beech
Purple European Beech
Fagus sylvatica ‘Atropunicea'


Purple Beeches are declining in Newport due to old age, stresses from planting conditions and a fungal disease that attacks many of these vulnerable trees, most of which are over 100 years old.

Other cultivars are threatened as well, but purple beeches appear to be dying at a much faster rate. Newport’s landscape, both historically and culturally, would be devastated by the loss of this species.

Certain Purple European Beech cultivars are known to have a deeper and longer-lasting color. For example, River’s Purple European Beeches are known for their unusually dark purple color, kept throughout the season. This may be the most famous of all beech varieties in England, developed and introduced there by the nursery of Thomas Rivers around 1860.

The root system of the Eurpean beech is very shallow. The trees rely on a symbiotic relationship between their roots and soil fungi, forming ectomycorrhizas (a type of mycorrhiza, see photo below) that help the tree absorb water and nutrients. The lifespan of the European beech is typically 150 to 200 years.

Beeches grow exceptionally well here in Newport’s seaside climate.

! FUN FACT!
The European Beech starts to flower when it is between 30–80 years old.
Animals/Wildlife
map

Boulevard Cypress
Boulevard Cypress
Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Boulevard’

The Sawara Cypress (or False Cypress), introduced to the United States in 1861, is native to Japan. The plant pictured in the traditional blue and white “willow pattern” design on pottery and porcelain represents this species. This cypress is a backbone Olmstead conifer; look for it on Newport’s estate landscapes.

There are many interesting cultivars and dwarf forms of the Sawara Cypress.

!FUN FACT!
This particular cultivar, ‘Boulevard,’ was propagated locally at the Boulevard Nurseries in Middletown, RI.
Animals/Wildlife
map

European Beeches
Animals/Wildlife
map

European Fernleaf Beech

European Fernleaf Beech
Fagus sylvatica ‘Asplenifolia’


The European Beech is Newport’s signature tree. Native to Europe, it was widely planted during the Gilded Age and thrives in Newport’s temperate seaside climate. Newport’s largest beeches rival the finest specimens in the world. The variety, ‘Asplenifolia,’ is a particularly elegant example of a European Beech, and many impressive specimens of this variety are found around the city.

The root system of the Eurpean beech is very shallow. The trees rely on a symbiotic relationship between their roots and soil fungi, forming ectomycorrhizas (a type of mycorrhiza, see photo below) that help the tree absorb water and nutrients.
Animals/Wildlife
map

Yeddo Spruce
Yeddo Spruce
Picea jezoensis
Information
map

Information Station
Animals/Wildlife
map

Cucumber Magnolia
Cucumber Magnolia
Magnolia acuminata

Native to eastern North America, the Cucumber Tree is one of the largest and cold-hardiest magnolias. It derives its name from the shape of the unripe fruit.
Information
map

Information Plaque - Frederick Law Olmsted
Animals/Wildlife
map

Tulip Tree
Tulip Tree
Liriodendron tulipifera

An American native and the tallest eastern hardwood (can reach 190 feet in height), the Tulip Tree is one of the most majestic giants of the Northeast. Distinctively-shaped leaves mimic the bloom of the tulip and turn a rich butter-yellow in autumn. The peculiar flowers, appearing in June and July, are tulip-shaped, yellow-green, and banded with orange at the base of the petals.

! FUN FACT !
Tulip Trees grow readily from seed. Seeds taken from the upper branches of old trees are the most likely to germinate.
Animals/Wildlife
map

Japanese Zelkova
Japanese Zelkova
Zelkova serrata

In the distance in the Frederick Law Olmsted Park (the former Stoneacre Estate), sit the very first two Zelkovas planted in the city.

Bellevue Avenue is lined with the Japanese Elm. Resistant to Dutch Elm disease, it is one substitute for our native Elm.

Zelkova are related to Elms and can look similar – but their fruit is not winged like Elm fruit, a good identifying tip.
Animals/Wildlife
map

Littleleaf Linden
Littleleaf Linden
Tilia cordata

Note the row of pleached Littleleaf Lindens behind the wall along Victoria Avenue. Pleaching is the art of training trees into formal raised hedgerows. A labor intensive practice, pleaching was first seen in late medieval gardens in Europe.

The Littleleaf Linden (also known as Small-leaved Linden or Small-leaved Lime) is native to Europe and western Asia,
Animals/Wildlife
map

London Planetree

London Planetree
Platanus x acerifolia

The London Planetree is not a true species, but a hybrid tree produced from two different species (in this case, a cross between the American Sycamore and the Oriental Planetree). It was discovered at the Oxford Botanical Gardens in the 1600’s. Its distinct puzzle-like camouflage bark is often used to identify the tree.
Building
map

National Museum of American Illustration (Vernon Court)
The National Museum of American Illustration (NMAI) was founded in 1998 by Judy Goffman Cutler and Laurence S. Cutler, to house their art collection primarily from the 'Golden Age of American Illustration.' The museum exhibits American illustration from all periods and styles and kinds. The Museum venue is Vernon Court (1898), an interpretation of an 18th century French chateau from the 'Gilded Age of Architecture,' designed by Carrére & Hastings.
Animals/Wildlife
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Maidenhair Tree

Maidenhair Tree
Ginkgo biloba


The Ginkgo biloba is the last surviving species of this unusual genus.

A ‘living fossil,’ the Ginkgo tree is one of the oldest surviving plant species on earth (over 280 million years old!). At one time native to New England, and considered one of the most primitive plants on earth today, it was long thought to be extinct in the wild. There is still debate about this. Although surviving stands of Ginkgo have been discovered in China, it is not known if they were cultivated or if they constitute a truly wild, native population of Ginkgo.

Ginkgo trees can be male or female. If you have a female Ginkgo, be careful to rake up fruit in the fall; it quickly becomes rancid.

! FUN FACT !
The Ginkgo leaf is the only leaf of a seed plant that does not form a branching network of veins (called an anastomosis). Can you see the pattern of veins in the leaf? How is it different from a maple leaf?
Animals/Wildlife
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Irish Yew
Irish Yew
Taxus baccata ‘Fastigiata’

This Irish Yew is not one large plant but three that have grown together nicely to create a screen for this property.

This fastigiate form of the English yew was first discovered in County Fermanagh in what is now Northern Ireland around 1780.

The yew is useful for ornamental hedges, and needs pruning only once annually due to its slow growth.

!FUN FACTS! Yews count among the longest living organisms on earth. The ancient Llangernyw Yew (Taxus baccata) is the oldest individual tree in Europe and second or third oldest individual tree in the world. It is believed to be between 4,000 years and 5,000 years.

The yew is often found in churchyards from the British Isles and France to Galicia. In France, the oldest yew trees are located in Norman churchyards and a chapel was very often laid out in the hollow trunk. It is said that up to 40 people could stand inside one of the La-Haye-de-Routot yew trees.

The yew is also associated with Wales and England because it is the wood of choice for longbow making. The heartwood of yew is on the inside of the bow while the sapwood is on the outside.

One of the world's oldest surviving wooden artifacts is a yew spearhead found in Essex, UK. It is estimated to be 450,000 years old.
Animals/Wildlife
map

Japanese Holly
Japanese Holly
Ilex crenata

Native to Asia, numerous cultivars of Japanese Holly have been selected for this well-used ornamental.
Animals/Wildlife
map

American Hop-Hornbeam
Hornbeam
Carpinus betulus ‘Fastigiata’

The Hornbeam (also known as the “European Hornbeam” or “Common Hornbeam”) is a native to England.
Building
map

Chateau-sur-Mer

Chateau-sur-Mer

Ushering in the Gilded Age, Chateau-sur-Mer is an Italianate-style villa built for China trade merchant William Shepard Wetmore. A landmark of High Victorian architecture and decor, it was the most palatial residence in Newport until the Vanderbilt houses of the 1890s.
Animals/Wildlife
map

Weeping European Beech

Weeping European Beech
Fagus sylvatica ‘Pendula’
Animals/Wildlife
map

Turkey Oak
Turkey Oak
Quercus cerris

There are large Turkey Oaks along the drive with a new generation planted as well.

Not to be confused with the American Turkey Oak (Quercus laevis), this Eurasian oak is relatively rare outside of arboretums. Newport is fortunate to have a large collection of striking mature specimens. The acorns are a great source of food for wildlife. Stand back to appreciate the tree’s mighty form and picturesque branching structure.
Information
map

Information Station
Animals/Wildlife
map

European Beech
European Beech
Fagus sylvatica
Animals/Wildlife
map

European Weeping Beech

European Weeping Beech
Fagus sylvatica ‘Pendula’
Animals/Wildlife
map

Japanese Zelkova
Japanese Zelkova
Zelkova serrata

Bellevue Avenue is lined with the Japanese Elm. Resistant to Dutch Elm disease, it is one substitute for our native Elm.

Zelkova are related to Elms and can look similar – but their fruit is not winged like Elm fruit, a good identifying tip.
Animals/Wildlife
map

Fernleaf European Beech

Fernleaf European Beech
Fagus sylvatica 'Asplenifolia’
Animals/Wildlife
map

Swiss Stone Pine

Swiss Stone Pine
Pinus cembra
Animals/Wildlife
map

Japanese Cedar

Japanese Cedar
Cryptomeria japonica

A pair of Japanese Cedars flank the drive.

The Cryptomeria genus (in the Cypress family – not related to the Cedars) contains only one species, Cryptomeria japonica, grand in size and lifespan.

Called Sugi in its native land of Japan where it is the national tree, it is often planted around temples and shrines. Its introduction into the Azore islands has decimated the natural laurel forests, threatening many species.

!FUN FACT!
A 40-mile avenue of Japanese Cedar planted in honor of the Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1616 can still be enjoyed today.
Animals/Wildlife
map

Fernleaf European Beech

Fernleaf European Beech
Fagus sylvatica ‘Asplenifolia’

The European Beech is Newport’s signature tree. Native to Europe, it was widely planted during the Gilded Age and thrives in Newport’s temperate seaside climate. Newport’s largest beeches rival the finest specimens in the world. The variety, ‘Asplenifolia,’ is a particularly elegant example of a European Beech, and many impressive specimens of this variety are found around the city.

The root system of the Eurpean beech is very shallow. The trees rely on a symbiotic relationship between their roots and soil fungi, forming ectomycorrhizas (a type of mycorrhiza, see photo below) that help the tree absorb water and nutrients.
Animals/Wildlife
map

Japanese Maple

Japanese Maple
Acer palmatum

The arrangement of these three Maples on the lawn of the Preservation Society of Newport County Headquarters is a common planting style for specimen trees.

There are many different (over a thousand) cultivars of Japanese Maple, and even seedlings from the same tree typically show marked genetic differences such as leaf shape, size and color.

! FUN FACT!
In the late 1700’s, Swedish doctor and naturalist Carl Peter Thunberg (1743-1828) traveled to Japan and secreted out drawings of a small tree. He gave it the species the name palmatum after the hand-like shape of its leaves. Thunberg was a student of Carl Linnaeus, and developed the first detailed description of Japanese flora and fauna at a time when few visitors were given access to the islands of Japan.
Information
map

Information Station
Animals/Wildlife
map

Weeping European Beech

Weeping European Beech
Fagus sylvatica ‘Pendula’

Fagus, the beech genus, comprises ten species of deciduous trees native to temperate Europe, Asia, and North America.

The European Beech is Newport’s signature tree, and a majestic Weeping European Beech becomes the focal point of any landscape.
Animals/Wildlife
map

European Beech

European Beech
Fagus sylvatica

The European Beech is Newport’s signature tree. Native to Europe, it was widely planted during the Gilded Age and thrives in Newport’s temperate seaside climate. Newport’s largest beeches rival the finest specimens in the world.

The root system of the European beech is very shallow. The trees rely on a symbiotic relationship between their roots and soil fungi, forming ectomycorrhizas (a type of mycorrhiza, see photo below) that help the tree absorb water and nutrients.
Animals/Wildlife
map

Horsechestnut

Horsechestnut
Aesculus hippocastanum

Prized for its showy white flowers in early May, this tree is well planted throughout the city. Newport also has a reddish-pink flowering variety, Aesculus x carnea. Horsechestnuts are very tolerant of ocean and wind conditions. The seed pods and fruit are a favorite of children and resemble a buck’s eye. The Horsechestnut, originally imported from Balkan Peninsula, is a relative of our native Buckeye.
Animals/Wildlife
map

Row of European Beeches
European Beech
Fagus sylvatica

This row of European Beeches across from the Elms was planted at almost an equal distance apart on the front edge of the property. The trees act like a tall hedge without shielding the entire property from the public.
Animals/Wildlife
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Silver Maple

Silver Maple
Acer saccharinum

Not to be confused with the Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum), Silver Maple is a fast-growing tree that will tolerate wet conditions. We must take care where we plant this tree, as it can be invasive.

! FUN FACT !
Silver Maples have samaras. A samara (also called a winged achene) is a simple dry fruit with a flat wing. The shape of a samara enables the wind to carry the seed from the parent tree.

The seed can be in the center of the wing, as in elms, or on one side, making the seed rotate as it falls, as in maples. A samara is sometimes called a key and is often referred to as a whirlybird, helicopter, whirligig, polynose, or a spinning jenny.

Some species that normally produce double samaras, such as Acer pseudoplatanus, can also produce multi-lobed samaras with 3 or 4 seeds.
Animals/Wildlife
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Sugar Maple

Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum



Sugar Maples are a staple of the hardwood forests of the northern and central United States. Tolerant of shade and poor soil, it is notable that the Sugar Maple engages in hydraulic lift – drawing water up into the shallower, drier layers of soil, benefiting plants in the vicinity of the tree. It is susceptible to pollution and road salt.

In many areas, the Sugar Maple is being crowded out by the Norway Maple, often resulting in a loss of native flora diversity in forests.

SAMARAS
The Norway Maple (Acer platanoides) is frequently confused with the Sugar Maple. To tell them apart, observe the sap that runs out of the base of the leaf stem (also called the petiole). The Norway Maple has white sap, while the Sugar Maple's sap is clear. Also, the seeds of Sugar Maple are globose (spherical), while Norway Maple seeds are flat.

Sugar Maples have samaras. A samara (also called a winged achene) is a simple dry fruit with a flat wing. The shape of a samara enables the wind to carry the seed from the parent tree.

The seed can be in the center of the wing, as in elms, or on one side, making the seed rotate as it falls, as in maples. A samara is sometimes called a key and is often referred to as a whirlybird, helicopter, whirligig, polynose, or a spinning jenny.

Some species that normally produce double samaras, such as Acer pseudoplatanus, can also produce multi-lobed samaras with 3 or 4 seeds.

! FUN FACT !
Bowling alleys and basketball courts are commonly manufactured from Sugar Maple.
Animals/Wildlife
map

Big-Leaf Linden

Big-Leaf Linden
Tilia platyphyllos

As you approach the corner of Berkeley and Bellevue, there is a grouping of pollarded Linden trees. This is an artistic pruning style that is begun when the trees are young. Branches are pruned every year, eventually becoming knob-shaped.

!FUN FACT!
The Linden Tree of King Matthias Korvinus near Bojnice Castle, Slovakia Reputed to be 700 years old.

POLLARDING:
Pollarding has been practiced since medieval times. Originally, trees were pollarded so the branches could be used for feed for livestock, or for wood for fuel (or for straight branches to use for poles or rails). Traditionally, pollarding on royal lands was a right often given to local people.

Pollarded trees tend to have longer lifespans, but only certain species can be made into pollards.
Animals/Wildlife
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Royal Paulownia

Royal Paulownia
Paulownia tomentosa

Royal Paulownia is a well adapted exotic ornamental in United States and a tree prized in its native Asia for timber. Many love this tree for its attractive heart shaped leaves and showy pale violet flowers. The “Royal Empress” or “Princess tree” was named after Anna Pavlovna, daughter of Czar Paul I. It can be an aggressive grower, and competes with native plants in certain habitats.

In China, an Empress Tree is planted when a baby girl is born, and the fast-growing tree matures along with her. When she is eligible for marriage the tree is cut down and carved into wooden articles for her dowry.
Legend has it that the Phoenix will only land on the Empress Tree and only when a good ruler is in power.
Information
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Information Station
Animals/Wildlife
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Honeylocust
Honeylocust
Gleditsia triacanthos

Like the Horsechestnut, the Honeylocust can withstand undesirable conditions and provides dappled shade making it a good sidewalk tree.
Native to eastern North America, this salt-tolerant tree provides nice dappled shade during the hot summer months. Branches of the honeylocust, however, can be prone to blow down during wind storms.

The honeylocust is popular in permaculture. The pods (or legumes) make high-protein food for cattle (particularly in the thornless inermis variety), and its shade is valued for livestock in hotter climates. It is also a nitrogen fixer, which benefits the surrounding soil. Its timber is durable and of high quality, and the hard thorns of the thorned honeylocust can also be used as nails!

! FUN FACT !
The edible pulp on the insides of honeylocust pods (unlike the Black locust, which is toxic) was used as a food source by Native Americans. The pulp can also be fermented to make beer. WARNING: it is difficult to tell the difference between the Honey locust and the toxic Black locust! The Black locust has shorter seed pods (2” to 4”) and deeply grooved bark.
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CCA2G = Creative Commons Atribution 2.0 Generic License
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Pictures in this guide taken by: newportarboretum, Frank Amaral 2012 All Rights Reserved, Dylan Currier 2011 All Rights Reserved, © 2005 Thergothon, WC, CCA2.5G, */File:Mycorrhizal_root_tips_(amanita).jpg, © As a work of the U.S. Federal government, this image is in the public domain., © As a work of the U.S. Federal government, this image is in the public domain., © 2008 Daniel Case, WC, CCASA3U, */File:Kingscote,_Newport,_RI.jpg, This image is in the public domain., © 2004 Kpjas, WC, CCASA3U, */File:Taxus_baccata,_kpjas.jpg, © 2007 Stemonitis, WC, CCASA2.5G, */File:Llangernyw_yew.jpg, */File:Taxus_baccata_%27fastigiata%27.jpg, © 2008 Gérard Janot, WC, CCA3U, */File:LaHayeDeRoutotIf1.JPG, © 2005 Malene Thyssen, WC, CCASA2.5G, */File:Grib_skov.jpg, © 2007 Jean-Pol Grandmont, WC, CCA3U, */File:Solwaster_AR2aJPG.jpg, © 2008 Lebrac, WC, CCASA3U, */File:Drilligsbuche_Büschelbuche.jpg, © 2006 Karyn Sig, WC, CCA2G, */File:Portrait_of_a_father.jpg, © 2005 Bluemoose, WC, CCASA3U, */File:Atlas_cedar_-_Cedrus_atlantica.jpg, © 2007 Derek Ramsey, WC, CCASA2.5G, */File:Atlas_Cedar_Cedrus_atlantica_%27Glauca%27_Needles_3008px.JPG, © 2007, Liné1, WC, CCASA3U, */File:Cornus_florida_02_by_Line1.jpg, Alana Brown 2012 All Rights Reserved, © 2007, Derek Ramsey, WC, CCASA2.5G, */File:Flowering_Dogwood_Cornus_florida_Full_Flower_2500px.JPG, © 2008 Dudesleeper, WC, CCASA3U, */File:%27Herbie%27,_Yarmouth,_Maine.jpg, © 2004 Solipsist, WC, CCASA2G, */File:Aesculus_hippocastanum_fruit.jpg, © 2008 Andrew Butko, WC, CCASA3U,*/File:Aesculus_hippocastanum_flowers.jpg, © 2008 Daniel Case, WC, CCASA3U, */File:Isaac_Bell_House,_Newport,_RI.jpg, © 2004 Henryhartley, WC, CCASA3U, */ File:Img_ulmus_americana_2209.jpg, © 2008 Jean-Pol GRANDMONT, WC, CCA3U, */File:Ulmus_americana_JPG1F.jpg, © 2004 Sannse, WC, CCASA3, */File:Horse-chestnut_800.jpg, © 2008 Alina Zienowicz, WC, CCASA3U, */File:Quercus_rubra_2008_07_06_(2).JPG, © 2007 Lynk media, WC, CCASA3U, */File:Quercus_rubra_autumn_selection.jpg, © 2009 Botaurus, WC, */File:Quercus-rubra-fruits-11-10-2007-080.jpg, © 1006 Inti-sol, WC, CCASA3U, */File:Quercus_mongolica_var_gosseserrata.JPG, © 2007 SEWilco, WC, CCASA3U, */File:Quercus_mongolica_mongolian_oak_MN_2007.JPG, © 2008 Remi Jouan, WC, CCASA3U, */File:Erable_automne_-_detail.jpg, © 2009 Stephen Lea, WC, CCASA3U, File:AmericanSweetgumAutumnLeaves.jpg, © 2010 Jean-Pol GRANDMONT, WC, CCA3U, */File:Liquidambar_styraciflua_-_La_Hulpe_(1).JPG, This photo is in the public realm., © 2005 Daderot, WC, CCASA3, */File:The_Elms,_Newport,_Rhode_Island_-_View_from_Great_Lawn.JPG, Frank Amaral 2012 All Rights Reserved , © 2007 Jeffrey O. 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Zell, WC, CCASA3U, */File:Ginkgo_biloba_010.JPG, This image is in the public domain. , © 2007 Matthieu Sontag, WC, CCASA3U, */File:Taxus_baccata_%27fastigiata%27.jpg, © 2007 Raul654, WC, CCASA3U, */File:Ilex_Crenata1.jpg, © 2007 Liné1, WC, CCASA3U, */File:Carpinus_betulus_%27Fastigiata%27_by_Line1.jpg, © 2007 Jean-Pol GRANDMONT, WC, CCA3U, */File:Carpinus_betulus_%27Fastigiata%27_JPG1.jpg, © 2010 Jason Sturner, WC, CCA2G, */File:Acer_saccharinum_samaras_Churchill_Woods_Glen_Ellyn_Illinois.jpg, © 2007 Sten Porse, WC, CCASA3U, */File:Acer-saccharinum-flowers.JPG, © 2007 Simon Eugster, WC, CCASA3U, */File:Acer_saccharinum_leaves.jpg, © 2005 Lady Rowena, WC, image released into the public domain., © 2005 JoJan, WC, CCASA3U, */File:Tilia_platyphyllos%2801%29.jpg, © Charles01, WC. This file is in the public domain, © Slowart. This file is in the public domain, © 2009 Chhe, WC. 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Reviews
newportarboretum
Take a stroll along beautiful Bellevue Avenue and enjoy historic architecture and America's finest specimen trees!
Visited on Jul 07, 2011

by newportarboretum on Oct 23, 2011
florian1
Interesting walks. Nice job.
Visited on Apr 22, 2011

by florian1 on Apr 25, 2011
matthewda93
Did part of this walk, plus the Colonial Tree Walk. These are great walks! Natural history and architectural/cultural history to boot.
Visited on Apr 24, 2011

by matthewda93 on Apr 24, 2011

Gilded Age North Tree Walk Map


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newportarboretum
newportarboretum
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The Newport Arboretum is New England's first citywide arboretum! We hope you enjoy our Newport Tree...

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