The Tree That Defined An American City: New Haven's Elms

New Haven's elm trees are a hallmark of the city, introduced to the city all the way back in 1686. The first elms planted along New Haven's streets arrived as a gift from a parishioner of the Reverend James Pierpont's First Church, which is still extant and is now known as the Center Church on the New Haven Green. They were gifted to commemorate the erection of his new home, located at the intersection of Elm and Temple Streets.

In 1784, urban planner James Hillhouse used his own funds to begin an ambitious tree planting program throughout the city. It was the first of its kind in America, at the time. This is how the city at large became identified with the elm tree.

So many elms were planted around the city at that time, that the city of New Haven became known as "The Elm City". The tree that became a beacon of pride for the city is known to reach up to 100 feet in height. The trees are shaped like an "arched vase", lending to an outline that has been described as “cathedral-like”.

The trees were able to thrive and grow throughout the city unimpeded until the early 20th century. During the 1930s, Dutch Elm disease caused a devastating blight throughout major urban areas of the U.S. The disease killed off many elm trees around the country, and the elms of New Haven weren't spared. The city stood to lose its favorite tree for good, but through extensive efforts, new varieties of elm were bred to resist Dutch Elm disease. The new strain of disease-resistant elms were planted around the city's parks and public spaces. Unfortunately, the disease is still a threat for trees located on private, residential properties which includes North Haven.

If you're a residential property owner who has noticed that your trees might be diseased, it's in your best interest to contact an tree removal service based in Connecticut that will send professionals to your property and inspect the trees. Diseased trees are a public hazard, and they can become a major safety risk for everyone living on your property.

While tree disease can't spread to humans, it does affect us in other ways, by causing trees to become extremely brittle. An affected tree will begin to die and decompose, making it likely for heavy branches to randomly fall to the ground. Even worse, if the disease goes deep enough into the tree, the whole main trunk can split in half at any time. When a tree is left to degrade and fall according to its own devices, it can become a lethal weapon.

In order to avoid damage to your property or risk to your life and limb, call a tree removal Orange CT service for an inspection and a free estimate today!