In a forest, a large tree like this would be part of a sprawling scaffold supporting thousands of species from ground to canopy, she notes, an ecosystem far removed from the paved terrain seen out the car window.
Yet even in this part of Washington, D.C., trees sustain life. They protect city dwellers from heat waves and increasingly violent storms caused by climate change. Urban groves support bird populations at a time when human activity is decimating them, studies show. And, of course, trees grow by capturing carbon from the atmosphere.
This is why the federal government spends $1 billion will be dedicated to urban forest areas across the country, part of the largest climate change effort in U.S. history.
For their efforts to be successful, arborists like Elliott must ensure that millions of trees thrive in less-than-ideal conditions: under power lines and around utilities and foundations; in compacted, polluted soil, prone to flooding and drought.
And, perhaps most importantly, within the limits of the owner’s taste.
“We need to choose the right species in places where they can be left alone,” Elliott says. “So that means the tree must be happy in its place and the person must be happy with the tree.”
For a day, I follow her to discover what it takes for new trees to thrive in the city.
We pull up to the first house, a narrow two-story duplex in Ward 8, at the southern end of the district. Elliott, who is about 5 feet tall, walks to the door wearing an orange high-visibility vest. The homeowner has arranged this consultation, hoping to receive a free tree from a local program.
The federal government estimates that much of this area is underinvested and overburdened with pollution. Casey Trees in Washington is receiving $9.1 million of the $1 billion allocated to urban forests under the Inflation Reduction Act.
Compared to other cities, Washington DC is a green city. Casey Trees reports that nearly 37% of the city is covered in trees. Most of the remaining planting space is in private yards.
The homeowner shows us the backyard, a 15-foot-wide box. There’s no room for a large canopy tree—the kind that, under the program’s rules, would be free. A tree that size requires a 20-foot radius of cleared land to fulfill its potential.
So there will be no free tree awarded here.
The homeowner can get a discount on a smaller tree that would provide a forest middle layer for wildlife and tolerate shade, such as an American hornbeam or a flowering dogwood. But the homeowner will have to do what Casey Trees normally does: buy it, transport it, plant it and prune it.
“It’s not easy to plant a tree if you don’t spend 40 hours a week in this world,” Elliott says.
The House next, also in Ward 8, has 30 feet of clearance in the backyard — enough space. Next, we consider the soil. Roots digging into the foundation of a house are a source of concern for many homeowners.
“We work very hard to select species that adapt well to the built environment,” Elliott says. “So I’m not going to plant something 5 metres from your house that has aggressive roots.”
Elliott has a master’s degree in forest restoration and conservation. She says the public often associates arborists with tree removal.
“Traditionally, we were more interested in timber forest management, using trees as a material resource,” she says. “Today, we use more of a Venn diagram for forestry, arboriculture, horticulture and environmental sciences.”
Elliott probes the ground with a flag-shaped marker. The thin metal rod becomes a diagnostic tool in his hands.
“Is there any concrete or debris here?” she asks the owner.
“Yeah, there’s a ton of debris, construction stuff, just random stuff,” she replies.
Urban soil is filled with materials that are not found in a natural forest environment: bricks, concrete, heavy metal elements. Only certain trees can thrive there.
Elliott quickly makes a diagnosis: lots of water runoff, owner open to all species, retaining wall nearby, poor soil quality, southern sun exposure, insects nearby, trees available at the nursery. All of this is reflected in his advice.
“My first suggestion would be a bald cypress,” she said.
Elliott is looking to increase the vegetation cover. She estimates this tree could grow to about 40 feet tall in this watery, obstacle-ridden soil. These trees are naturally found in wetlands, where they experience periods of intense moisture and drought.
“Pyramid shape. Not very aggressive roots. They have very fine needles,” she said. “They take on a very beautiful orange-rust color.”
“These are low-maintenance trees,” she adds. “So you won’t have to worry about trimming them, even in a few decades.”
In the fall, crews will dig and transplant a tree here and at the other homes. If all goes well, they will thrive for decades, if not centuries.
Trees to plant: 🌳
Five minutes later, we pull into a young couple’s yard. Elliott looks up and imagines a black gum tree with deep orange-red leaves in the fall. It can grow up to 30 feet tall, which is tall enough to provide shade while staying away from overhead power lines.
Trees can be a scourge for power companies, causing power outages when branches fall. Around the corner, we see poor planting decisions: large, over-pruned trees contorting themselves away from utilities.
Elliott steps back and decides to plant another black gum to the left of the front door. It’s for symmetry. She says good aesthetics encourage homeowners to embrace their new trees.
Along the south side of the house, power lines aren’t a problem. But a few noisy trucks pass by, reminding us of another factor to consider: traffic. Trees can help shield the house from street noise and perhaps even slow down cars. One study arborists like to cite shows that drivers slow down when passing trees.
Elliott has room to be creative. Good soil, some standing water. She suggests three Southern magnolias, lush conifers with thick leaves and bold white flowers.
“They get to this size, like the size of my hand,” Elliot says of the flowers. “It’s a very aesthetic tree.”
The owners say they are happy to do their part for the environment.
Trees to plant: 🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳
In the house next door, in Hyattsville, Maryland, the owner says she plans to plant a flowering dogwood or an Eastern redwood, small ornamental trees with bright white and pink flowers, respectively.
Elliott estimates that 65 percent of homeowners want ornamental trees with flowers and fall color, but she thinks they can be convinced to accept a larger-canopy tree with the same features, which will provide more wildlife habitat and shade.
“It may seem counterintuitive, but trees that grow taller actually maintain a more functional space because their canopy is above your head, unlike smaller ornamental trees, like that cherry tree over there,” she says, gesturing toward a neighboring yard.
“It branches out here and therefore limits your functional space,” she adds.
Instead, she recommends a yellowwood, a canopy tree that blooms in spring.
The owner thinks about it. Elliott knows she needs the owners to buy into her suggestions for them to work.
“Whether they know it or not, they have all the power,” she said. “Taking the time to work with people, to educate them and try to make things work for them, it’s worth it.”
In this case, the homeowner takes her advice. For the front yard, Elliott suggests an Eastern redwood tree, a native ornamental tree, to make the deal more attractive. It’s rare to be offered a yellowwood tree and a redwood tree, she explains to the homeowner, because they’re highly sought after.
“Oh, really?” the owner exclaims. “That’s really cool!”
Trees to plant: 🌳🌳
The property in Hyattsville, Maryland, is huge — 2.3 acres of sloping greenery. There’s plenty of space, quality soil, no power lines. Any tree could be the perfect tree for this space.
“I wonder what this person would want from a free tree program,” she says. “If they want specific things that are more aesthetically related, like ornamental plants, it might be hard to convince them otherwise.”
We head toward the house — a structure designed by John Joseph Earley, a D.C. artist responsible for the intricate concrete designs of Meridian Hill Park and the Dumbarton Bridge.
The owners, Jonathan and Ann Barrett, accompanied by their yellow Labrador, Toby, walk with us 40 metres behind their house. The sunlight is everywhere. Toby’s tail wags.
“What are you trying to do?” Elliott asks.
“Planting more trees. I don’t have a clear answer,” Jonathan says. “We can imagine this place becoming a protected area.”
“I love it,” Elliott said.
She thinks of a large willow oak. A large tree here could benefit the people in the neighborhood, but the owners are hesitant. They ask for something that will help the bees in their hive.
Elliott suggests a tulip tree, which will grow up to 50 feet tall and produce yellow flowers that attract pollinators and fireflies.
There’s room for more. She suggests a few hackberry or black gum trees near the fence – sturdy, unobtrusive trees that won’t obstruct drivers’ views as they circle the property.
At the front of the house, there’s a perfect spot for a statement tree – a regal American basswood It would give the house a stately, Southern look, Elliott said.
The couple agrees. They say they needed help finding native trees that grow tall enough to restore the shade that neighboring developments have removed.
“I have to say this was one of the best consultations I’ve had all season,” Elliot says.
Trees to plant: 🌳🌳🌳🌳
