Cambridge Urban Forest Friends

August 2025 Newsletter

Contents

A Tree-Friendly Move
New Online Maps from Urban Forestry
Weed It and Reap!
Species Highlight: Japanese pagoda tree (Styphnolobium japonicum)
Forest Foe: The Piddle Problem
Urban Forestry Trivia
Become a Cambridge Urban Forest Friend
Sign Up for a Free Tree with Green Cambridge

A Tree-Friendly Move

Late August and early September are busy times for locals, trees and people alike! While students and residents are busy moving in and around Cambridge, the trees are still actively photosynthesizing, growing roots, and preparing for the fall and winter. The summer heat and urban conditions add to a City trees’ stressors. Let’s protect our trees during this busy time! Please be mindful if you are driving a truck or hiring a moving company. Watch for branches and tree trunks when parking and unloading. If you have a temporary No Parking sign, do not attached it to a tree using staples. Wire is recommended but remove the sign and wire entirely from the tree when you are done. Wire left on trees can girdle trunks and restrict the flow of water and nutrients.

Wire left on a young Zelkova trunk on Amory St was removed by Urban Forestry before it caused issues. Please remove wire from tree trunks!

New Online Maps from Urban Forestry

Urban Forestry is excited to announce 2 new online tree-sources: The Tree Species Dashboard and the 10 Largest Trees in Cambridge Map!

Tree Species Dashboard:

Cambridge, MA is home to a wide variety of tree species, and this interactive map helps you explore them. Use the filters to search for trees by common name or scientific name to see their location across the City. For example, selecting “Red maple” will display a map of all the red maples in Cambridge. You can also zoom to neighborhoods to find different tree species near you. Whether you’re tracking down a favorite species or discovering ones you have never seen before, this map makes it easy to explore our urban tree canopy.

The 10 Largest Trees in Cambridge, MA:

Each tree that lines our streets, parks, and cemeteries makes our City more beautiful. Cambridge trees offer a stunning display as they change with the seasons, while also providing vital environmental benefits that enhance our City. The trees in Cambridge vary from newly planted trees to towering trees that are older than us all. With so many trees in Cambridge, you may wonder where the largest ones are located. Scroll through this Story Map to discover where the largest City trees in Cambridge stand and plan your walks around them. Witness the grand beauty Cambridge’s trees have to offer and the tall heights that our trees reach!

The Weeping willow at the Main Library is one of the 10 largest City trees in Cambridge.

Weed It and Reap!

A little pull goes a long way towards growing our canopy. Late summer is the perfect time to give our City trees a little extra care by clearing weeds from their tree wells. Weeds compete with trees for water, nutrients, and soil area. Removing them helps trees direct more energy toward growing strong roots and healthy canopies. A clean, open tree well also allows water to soak in more easily when it rains and when trees are watered. Just a few minutes of weeding now can help ensure our trees stay healthy and vibrant for years to come.

Species Highlight: Japanese pagoda tree (Styphnolobium japonicum)

If you spot a tree in full bloom this month when most others are winding down, you’ve likely found a Japanese pagoda tree. These urban-suited trees are found in Cambridge parks and along streets. You may know the Japanese pagoda tree by its current scientific name, Styphnolobium japonicum, but it hasn’t always been called that. For centuries, botanists classified it in the genus Sophora as Sophora japonica. A more recent study of its flowers, seeds, and genetic makeup revealed that it was different enough from true Sophora species to deserve its own genus. The new Genus name, Styphnolobium, reflects its unique traits, while japonicum is a bit of a misnomer, it’s actually native to China and Korea, not Japan. The common name “Japanese pagoda tree” likely stuck because it was often planted around Buddhist temples in Japan.

Japanese pagoda trees in bloom around the Civil War Monument at the Cambridge Common

Forest Foe: The Piddle Problem

We love our four-legged furry friends! A walk with Fido takes you on a nice tour of some of Cambridge’s trees, but dog urine is surprisingly tough on tree bark and roots, especially young trees. It’s high in salts and nitrogen, and in the concentrated form of a pup’s potty break, it can burn bark, damage roots, and kill beneficial microbes in the soil. Over time or at popular spots, these “visits” can lead to dead patches, weakened bark, and even invite pests or disease. The fix is simple: please keep your dog out of tree wells and help keep our street trees healthy and happy, so everyone can keep enjoying wags and walks in the shade.

Urban Forestry Trivia

Learn a fun fact about urban forestry in Cambridge!

The trivia answer will be revealed in next month’s newsletter!

Last month's question was "How many trees were planted this spring at Danehy Park?" and the answer was "D. 100".

Dog urine contains high levels of nitrogen and salts.

What effects can this have on young urban trees if this happens repeatedly?

A. Burns roots and bark

B. Makes them grow faster

C. Attracts pollinators

D. Makes leaves extra green

Become a Cambridge Urban Forest Friend

We need your help to maintain a healthy, vibrant urban forest! Any Cambridge resident willing to regularly water the tree and provide some general care for the tree is welcome to become a Cambridge Urban Forest Friend.

How to Start

Visit our interactive map.
Enter your address.
Choose a tree by clicking on it. Then, fill out the form.

View Website

Questions?

For questions about the Cambridge Urban Forest Friends, please contact Kristen Kelleher, Community Relations Manager at 617-349-4825 / kkelleher@cambridgema.gov.

**Please let us know if you are no longer caring for your street tree and we will remove you from the database and future emails.**

If you have space for a tree on your property, Green Cambridge can plant a free native tree to help expand Cambridge’s urban tree canopy! If you own your home in Cambridge, MA and would like Green Cambridge to plant a tree in your yard for FREE, visit https://www.greencambridge.org/canopycrew

Thanks for reading!

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