By Gus Saltonstall
A tree on the Upper West Side ripped out of its soil this week following multiple days of heavy rain and wind.
The tree uprooted Wednesday morning outside of 211 West 102nd Street, between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue.
A nearby resident of the block told West Side Rag that the tree hit a car on the way down. The local also mentioned that the Parks Department had installed the iron fence around the base of the tree only a week ago.
A spokesperson from the Parks Department said there was no indication that the new guard had anything to do with the tree falling over.
“Our Parks forestry staff surveys every potential planting location to determine if it can accommodate the healthy growth of trees,” a Parks Department spokesperson said. “Foresters consider local environmental conditions, space, clearance, and other factors for planting trees. We will inspect this site to see if it’s viable for a new planting.”
The tree on West 102nd Street was not the only one to take damage.
A different reader sent us another photo of a downed tree — but this time on West 92nd Street and Amsterdam Avenue — with a dramatic subject line.
“Lightning hit a tree.”
The Rag was unable to confirm that lightning hit the tree.
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I’m pretty sure those white flowering trees are callery pears, which are very common in the sidewalk pits along city streets. Cherry blossoms are more likely found in parks, such as the grove at 96th Street and Riverside. They are generally some shape of pink, though some have strictly white flowers.
Please replace all the dead and missing trees on the UWS.
Neither of those are cherry trees. They are Bradford Pears.
Correct!
A/K/A “Candy Pear”
Birds, love them in the autumn….
A very large tree also fell in Central Park near the entrance between W 63rd and 64th. If you walk in and turn right at the fork, you’ll see it. Looks like it split on the edge, so wondering if it was hit with lightning as well? Destroyed some benches along West Drive.
Those are not cherry trees.
Exactly!! Those are likely crab apples. Cherry blossoms are pink & come a little later. 🌷
Those are Callery Pear trees
Now we know! Thank you
The area on Amsterdam and W 92 is where the Fresh Direct truck parks. In the past, before some construction and scaffolding went up, the truck would park on the next block, between 92 and 93. We’ve seen the truck break off lower hanging branches in that area a few times. Is it possible that could be the situation with the tree at W.92 and Amsterdam?
For host of reasons trees planted by city in beds along sidewalks often are not hardy. Many are particularly susceptible to damage from storms.
Besides abuse of beds by dogs (or rather their owners to let Fido foul tree beds), often issue is bed itself isn’t large enough to provide enough space for water to reach root system.
Over past few decades city has required new tree beds to be far larger than in past. This and or when say a new tree replaces one that has died or fallen bed will be renovated to make it bit larger. All in aid of allowing more water to reach tree’s root system.
Now if people would keep their dogs out of beds trees might stand a better chance of growing and remaining healthy.
My dog? I was on my phone the whole time, didn’t see Rover peeing on or digging around any trees!!
Another one is down in Riverside Park in the 90’s? along the highway.
Pyrus calleryana, also known as the Callery pear or Bradford pear is not a very robust or strong tree. They are particularly susceptible to damage caused by storms.
Callery pear trees often suffer disfigurement or other damage due to strong winds. This and or they are frequently uprooted all together and topple over.
After any storm with decent enough power you’ll nearly always find Bradford pear tree limbs, branches littered about city, and or again entire trees uprooted.
Bradford and callery are names for the same species of pear tree. You can best identify a cherry tree by its horizontally-striated bark.
So Sad!
It was hit by lightning. My neighbor said he heard thunder and lightning and a big crack looked out window and saw branch falling off. I wouldn’t have mentioned it in photo if I didn’t have an eye witness.