Tree Trek

University of Pittsburgh's Pittsburgh campus and the University's commitment to growing tree canopy city-wide. 

Trees are integral to all University of Pittsburgh campuses, contributing beauty, stormwater management, ecosystem support, and mental health benefits. Being in nature or viewing greenery not only makes you feel better, it helps with cognitive function & promotes physical well-being.

The Campus Tree Trek is ~1 mile that showcases various campus tree species and takes ~ 20 minutes to complete.

tree trek map

Campus Tree Trek

The Trek is ~1 mile that showcases various campus tree species around the Cathedral of Learning, Heinz Chapel and the William Pitt Union. You can start the tour at any tree and the entire route takes roughly 20 minutes to complete.

The tour highlights 17 tree species, each listed below if starting at the Log Cabin heading East towards N Bellefield Ave.

Scientific Name: Acer rubrum
Native Region: eastern United States and southeastern Canada
Year Planted: 1910 (estimated)
Average Height: 60-90 feet

Earning their name from the red hue of their fruit, twigs, and fall foliage, Red Maples are fast growing trees and begin to produce their distinctive “helicopter” seeds at 4 years old.

Along with being fast growing, they are highly adaptable to various environmental conditions, making them one of the most dominant tee species in the Eastern deciduous forest (ranging from Newfoundland to southern Florida).

While their wood is soft and susceptible to disease and pests, Red Maples dominate woodland areas recently impacted by devastation (e.g., fire or hurricane) due to their quick growth and adaptability.  Their young shoots provide food for deer and moose; their seeds are eaten by squirrels and other rodents.

One of the largest Red Maples is in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. In 1997, it was crowned a champion tree by American Forests, with a height of 141 feet and a diameter of 7 feet.

red maple tree

red maple leaves

red maple helicopter seeds

 

The Red Maple stands as a testament to resilience and adaptability in the natural world. Its rapid growth and ability to thrive in diverse environments make it a symbol of strength and endurance.

Can you think of a time you had to be resilient and adapt to the environment around you?  How did that experience impact the person you are today?

Scientific Name: Magnolia accuminata
Native Region: eastern United States and southeastern Canada
Year Planted: 1931 (estimated)
Average Height: 40-70 feet

The hardiest species in the Magnolia family, the Cucumber Tree derives its name from the immature green fruit that develops after its flower petals fall away.

Cucumber Magnolia flowers bloom in May and are green to greenish white. Flowers and fruit often go unnoticed because they develop at the top of the tree.

Cherokee and Iroquois tribes used the Cucumber Tree for medicine and lumber. Because of its durability and straight grain, the Cucumber Tree is still a popular lumber choice today for items such as pallets, doors, and furniture . It is also a popular ornamental shade tree in wide open areas like parks and golf courses.

The Cucumber Tree is native in Western Pennsylvania and has moderate drought tolerance. The seeds are eaten by birds and small mammals; its young fruit is eaten by blackbirds and Grackles. 

cucumber magnolia tree

cucumber magnolia tree flower

cucumber magnolia tree seed

 

 

 

The Cucumber Tree embodies the intersection of ecological resilience, cultural heritage, and practical utility, making it a testament to the enduring connections between nature and human civilization.

Reflecting on your life, are you living according to the expectations and dreams of others or of your own?  How do you distinguish them from each other?

Scientific Name: Cornus florida
Native Region: eastern North America and northern Mexico
Year Planted: 1983 (estimated)
Average Height: 25 feet

There are over 30 different species of Dogwood trees. The name “dog-tree” entered the English vocabulary before 1548, becoming “dogwood” by 1614. Once the name Dogwood was affixed to this kind of tree, it soon acquired a secondary name as the “Hound’s Tree” and the fruits were known as “dogberries” or “houndberries”.

The Flowering Dogwood’s leaves are opposite, simple, and ovate (2.5 to 5 inches long and 1.6 to 2.4 inches broad). Dogwood is ideal for golf clubs and tools.

Birds and mammals consume the fruit (red berries), twigs, seeds, flowers, bark, and leaves. The Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) is ubiquitous in American gardens and landscaping, and is the state tree of North Carolina, Missouri, and Virginia.  

The Dogwood tree also provides habitat for the young life stages of the native butterfly, Celastrina ladon.

dogwood tree in bloom

dogwood tree flower

dogwood tree leaves

 

The sturdy wood symbolizes strength and durability, reflecting the challenges it can weather over time. Beyond its physical attributes, the Dogwood holds deep symbolic meaning in cultural and religious traditions, where it represents spiritual connection and renewal. In fact, the Dogwood tree serves as a reminder of our own resilience, the beauty of our surroundings, and the enduring significance of spiritual faith.

How does spirituality or religion play a role in your life today?  How has it helped you redefine your own life during moments of hardship?  What kind of advice on life would your old self give to your current self?

Scientific Name: Quercus coccinea
Native Region: central and eastern United States
Year Planted: 1830 (estimated)
Average Height: 18-24 feet

Quercus coccinea, the scarlet oak, is primarily distributed in the central and eastern United States. It occurs on dry, sandy, usually acidic soil. It is often an important canopy species in oak-heath forests.

Many species of wildlife look to the scarlet oak for shelter, including small- to medium-sized birds, as well as small mammals such as squirrels. It is also a temporary home to various moth larvae throughout the year. It provides food in the form of acorns to many animals such as woodpeckers, blue jays, small mammals, wild turkeys, white tailed deer, and black bears.

Scarlet oak is commonly used in furniture, cabinetry, interior trim, flooring, and veneer. Scarlet oak shares many characteristics with red oak and often falls in the same category as red oak (Quercus rubra) in a broad sense. Quercus coccinea produces galls from insect interactions with may be used to treat hemorrhages, chronic diarrhea, and dysentery.

The scarlet oak is the official tree of Washington, D.C.

Scarlet oak tree

scarlet oak leaves

scarlet oak acorns

Scarlet Oak offers a connection to nature, where we find more than a just tree.  We discover a companion in our exploration of the natural world, an inspiration for artistic expression, and a symbol of our capacity to endure and flourish.

What are some ways that you use art, creativity, or innovation to support your own well-being and flourishing?

Scientific Name: Liriodendron tulipifera
Native Region: eastern North America
Year Planted: 1986 (estimated)
Average Height: 80-100 feet

Liriodendron tulipifera, known as the tulip tree, American tulip tree, tulipwood, tuliptree, tulip poplar, whitewood, fiddletree, and yellow-poplar.  It is the one of the largest and most valuable hardwoods of eastern Northern America.  It is native to eastern North America from Southern Ontario to Illinois eastward to southwestern Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and south to central Florida and Louisiana. 

Originally described by Carl Linnaeus, Liriodendron tulipfera is one of two species in the genus Liriodendron in the magnolia family.  The name Liriodendron is Greek for “lily tree”.  It is also called the tuliptree magnolia, or sometimes, by the lumber industry, as the tulip-poplar or yellow-poplar.   The flower provides a good source of nectar for the native ruby-throated hummingbird.

It was introduced into Great Britain in 1688 as part of Bishop Compton’s garden at Fulham Palace and is now a popular ornamental in streets, parks, and large gardens. 

Indigenous peoples often used the trunks of this tree to make dugout canoes. The Appalachian Mountains and adjacent Piedmont running south from Pennsylvania to Georgia contain 75 percent of all yellow-poplar growing stock in 1974. However, this tree was favored by loggers for making railroad ties and fencing.

tulip tree

tulip tree flower

tulip tree leaf

The tulip tree’s wood, known as tulipwood or yellow poplar, embodies strength and versatility. It empowers us to recognize our interconnectedness with nature and inspires a commitment to preserving biodiversity and promoting a harmonious environment.

What are some ways that you feel connected to others in your life?  What are the things in your life that contribute to a harmonious environment for you?

Scientific Name: Acer saccharum
Native Region: eastern North America
Year Planted: 1963 (estimated)
Average Height: 80-115 feet

Acer saccharum, the sugar maple, is a species of flowering plant in the soapberry and lychee family Sapindaceae. Sugar maple is best known for being the primary source of maple syrup and for its brightly colored fall foliage. It may also be known as “rock maple”, “sugar tree”, “birds-eye maple”, “sweet maple”, “curly maple” or “hard maple”, particularly when referring to the wood.  The sugar maple can be confused with the Norway maple, which is not native to America but is commonly planted in cities and suburbs.

The sugar maple is an extremely important species to the ecology of many forests in the northern United States and Canada.  Pure stands are common, and it is a major component of the northern and Midwestern U.S. hardwood forests.  Due to its need for cold winters, sugar maple is mostly found north of the 42nd parallel in USDA growing zones 3-5.  It is less common in the southern part of its range (USDA Zone 6) where summers are hot and humid; there sugar maple is confined to ravines and moist flatlands.  Collection of sap for sugar is also not possible in the southern part of sugar maple’s range as winter temperatures do not become cold enough.

Indigenous peoples were the first to process the sugary sap into syrup and used it for medicinal purposes to help treat kidney and liver problems. They also used sugar Maple bark to dye clothing.

sugar maple tree

sugar maple leaves

sugar maple seeds

The seasonal transformation of the sugar maple’s leaves, from vibrant greens in summer to fiery reds, oranges, and yellows in autumn, symbolizes change and the beauty of transformation. It teaches us to embrace change as an inherent part of life and growth.

Is there something you can do you in your life right now to embrace change?  How might that contribute to growth and well-being in your life?  

Scientific Name: Tilia cordata
Native Region: Europe and southwestern Asia
Year Planted: 1934 (estimated)
Average Height: 50-60 feet

The Littleleaf Linden grows to a height of ~60 feet and a spread of around 40 feet at maturity. Because of the dense canopy, this tree is great for shade. Littleleaf Linden produces clusters of yellowish flowers that hang down on a long stalk attached to a leaf-like wing. The flowers are very fragrant and bloom in the summer, after most trees have finished. Bees and hummingbirds are very attracted to the flowers. The leaves are heart-shaped and lopsided at the base, usually 2-3 inches long with somewhat saw-toothed margins.

The leaves change color from light green to glossy dark green to yellow throughout the seasons. The tree also produces fruit that are a quarter inch in diameter.

The Littleleaf Linden is native to Europe and was said to be special to Freya (Germanic and Norse goddess of love and fertility) and Frigga (the goddess of love and marriage). Women hoping to carry would hug the tree wishing to become pregnant.

 

little leaf linden tree

little leaf linden leaves

little leaf linden flowers

 

 

Littleleaf Linden tree symbolizes love, protection, and nurturing qualities.  It serves as a reminder of life, the seasons, and symbolizes the cycles of life, growth, and renewal.

Who are the people in your life that you are most grateful for?  How do they provide you with love, protection, and nurturing? 

Scientific Name: Ulmus minor
Native Region: southern Europe and Asia Minor
Year Planted: 1882 (estimated)
Average Height: 40-50 feet

Also known as the Lacebark Elm Tree, the Smoothleaf Elm grows to a height of 40 to 50 feet and spreads from 35 to 45 feet at maturity. This Elm has a rounded crown adorned with radiant dark green leaves that change to a beautiful yellow and reddish purple in the fall.

Known for its distinctive bark, the Smoothleaf Elm is mottled and often creates colorful patterns within the trunk. It is a tough, durable tree as it adapts to many soil conditions and is relatively free from diseases ravaging other elm species.

Smoothleaf Elms produce oval, brown fruit that are up to half an inch with a small seed in the center. The seeds are an abundant food source for birds, making this tree a popular nesting spot for bird species.

Smoothleaf Elms are native to China, Korea, and Japan. It was introduced to American 1794.

smooth leaf elm tree

smooth leaf elm bark

smooth leaf elm seeds

The tree’s foliage undergoes a transformation in the fall, turning from dark green to shades of yellow and reddish purple. This seasonal change can symbolize the beauty of transformation and the cyclical nature of life. Spiritually speaking, it often represents the cycles of birth, growth, death, and rebirth.

What have been the most defining moments in your life that have helped shape you?  When you look back on these moments, how have they contributed to a rebirth in your own life? 

Scientific Name: Liquidambar styraciflua
Native Region: eastern North America through Central America
Year Planted: 1920 (estimated)
Average Height: 60-75 feet

Sweetgum is a large tree that may grow up to 75 feet tall. The alternate, palmately lobed leaves have toothed margins that mature into a star shape. The leaves provide brilliant fall color, with leaves turning shades of yellow, orange, red, and purple. The bark is gray-brown with irregular furrows and rough, rounded ridges.

In spring, small, bright yellow-green (tinged with red) flowers grow. The tree produces a spherical, spiny fruiting head which is composed of numerous tiny capsules, each bearing one or two-winged seeds. The seeds are eaten by a variety of birds. Small mammals enjoy the fruits and seeds.

The Sweetgum tree is native to the Southeastern United States — first noticed and recorded in 1542 by Alvar Nunez Cabza de Vaca. Today, the wood is used to form fine furniture and interior finishing.

sweet gum tree

sweet gum tree leaves

sweet gum tree seeds

The star-shaped leaves of the Sweetgum tree have a geometric beauty that has been associated with sacred symbolism in various spiritual traditions. The symmetry and orderliness of the star shape can represent harmony, balance, and spiritual order.  It invites reflection on the deeper meanings of growth and adaptation.

What are the ways that your life has balance right now?  Are there areas of your that are currently imbalanced that you would like to focus on changing?

Scientific Name: Plantanus x acerifolia
Native Region: none, man-made hybrid
Year Planted: 1870 (estimated)
Average Height: 70-100 feet

The London Planetree is a hybrid resulting from a cross between the native sycamore and the non-native Asian planetree. London Planetree is a large tree, with a mature height of 70 to 100 feet. London Planetree tolerates pollution and other urban conditions well. They can be easily transplanted.

They develop a mottled bark with red-brown scales that flake to reveal green, white, and creamy yellow. The leaves are large, generally up to seven inches long and ten inches wide with sparingly toothed edges.

In Spring, London Planetree produce red flowers as the leaves unfurl. The pendant seed ball-like clusters are popular with purple finches, goldfinches, and squirrels.

london plane tree

london plane tree bark

london plane tree seeds

The London Planetree’s mottled bark, changing colors, and seasonal cycles can be seen as metaphors for personal growth, shedding old patterns, and embracing new beginnings.  It lies in its ability to inspire and connect us with deeper aspects of ourselves and the world around us, whether through resilience, beauty, nurturing, or its role in the larger ecosystem.

Is there something you need to let go of to be able to move forward?  How can you embrace this new beginning?

Scientific Name: Magnolia x soulangeana
Native Region: none, man-made hybrid
Year Planted: 1968 (estimated)
Average Height: 20-30 feet

Saucer Magnolia is a smaller tree with beautiful pink and white flowers. This tree was created by cross-breeding Magnolia liliiflora (lily magnolia) and M. denudate (lilytree), which are both native to Japan.

Saucer Magnolia grow to a height of 20 to 30 feet, with a spread of ~25 feet at maturity. This specific species blooms late February to April, with some blossoms reappearing throughout the summer months.

Flower color tends to fade with re-emerging flowers. Leaves are thick, but soft — and generally 3 to 6 inches in length with a smooth margin and pointed tip.

Birds use the larger branches of Saucer Magnolia as nesting sites and enjoy its seeds.

saucer magnolia tree

saucer magnolia flowers

saucer magnolia leaves

The spiritual significance of the Saucer Magnolia encompasses themes of beauty, impermanence, creativity, renewal, resilience, interconnectedness, and cultural diversity. A reflection of spiritual values related to stewardship and care for all living beings.

What are the things in your life that you care for, look after, and love?  How do you should love to them?  How do you show love to yourself? 

Scientific Name: Acer palmatum
Native Region: Japan, Korea and China
Year Planted: 1988 (estimated)
Average Height: 10-15 feet

The Japanese Maple has been cultivated in Japan for centuries — and in temperate areas around the world since the 1800s.

The first specimen of the tree reached Britain in 1821. When Swedish doctor-botanist Carl Peter Thunberg traveled in Japan late in the 18th century, he produced drawings of a small tree that would eventually become synonymous with the high art of oriental gardens. He gave it the species name “palmatum” after the hand-like shape of its leaves (similar to the centuries-old Japanese names “kaede” and “Momiji,” references to the “hands” of frogs and babies, respectively).

Japanese horticulturalists have long developed cultivars from maples found in Japan, China, and Korea. They are a popular choice for bonsai and enthusiasts — and have long been a subject in art.

Preparations from the branches and leaves are used as a treatment in Traditional Chinese medicine.

japanese maple tree

japanese maple leaves

japanese maple seeds

The spiritual significance of the Japanese Maple lies in its beauty, symbolism of change and impermanence, connection to nature and seasonal rhythms, and potential healing properties.  It symbolizes the impermanence and transience of life in Japanese philosophy, known as mono no aware, which appreciates the beauty of fleeting moments and the inevitability of change.

What are the ways that you try to be present and mindful in your life?  Do you try to savor the small moments when they occur?  In what ways do you practice gratitude in your life?

Scientific Name: Batula nigra
Native Region: eastern United States
Year Planted: 1983 (estimated)
Average Height: 40-70 feet

The River Birch naturally grows along riverbanks, can be planted almost anywhere in the United States as a landscape tree. River Birch are valued as fast-growing shade trees, growing to a maximum height of 40 to 70 feet.

Once mature, River Birch develop a cinnamon-colored bark that curls and peels. In Spring, they are produce brown and green catkins (a slim, cylindrical flower cluster / spike, with inconspicuous or no petals). After the catkins mature, River Birch yield many tiny nutlets. Wildlife appreciates its small, but plentiful seeds, foliage, and catkins.

River Birch wood was historically used for ox yokes, wooden shoes, and other products around the farm.

river birch tree

river birch flowers and seeds

river birch bark

Being naturally found near water sources, River Birches are associated with the flow of life, emotions, and spirituality. Water often symbolizes purification, intuition, and healing, suggesting that River Birches can help in emotional and spiritual cleansing.

What are the different healing methods in your life that contribute to your own physical and emotional well-being?  In what ways do these help you embrace life as it happens?

Scientific Name: Quercus rebra
Native Region: central and eastern North America
Year Planted: 1842 (estimated)
Average Height: 60-75 feet

Northern Red Oak trees are fast growing under sun and optimal conditions; they may live up to 400 years. Northern Red Oak are easily recognizable by their bark, which features ridges appearing to have shiny center stripes .

Northern Red Oak trees provide great Fall color, with its leaves turning russet-red to bright red. Once the tree is over 25-years-old, it will begin to produce round acorns that are ¾ to 1 inch long and have a flat, thick saucer-like cap; its acorns are a food preference for lots of wildlife.

Approximately 1% of acorns produced will become a tree, with the primary seed dispersion method being by squirrel or mouse.

The Northern Red Oak has been a favorite of both foresters and landscapers since colonial times.

Northern Red Oak is the state tree of New Jersey.  

northern red oak

northern red oak acorns

northern red oak leaves

The lifespan of up to 400 years for the Northern Red Oak can symbolize longevity, wisdom, and the passage of time.  The vibrant fall colors of the Northern Red Oak, turning from russet-red to bright red, symbolize transformation and the cycle of life. This seasonal change can be spiritually significant, representing the beauty of impermanence and the necessity of letting go. Its ability to thrive and endure through changing times can serve as a spiritual metaphor for strength, adaptability, and perseverance in the face of challenges.

Who are the people in your life that you seek wisdom from?  How have these people or sources of wisdom provided your comfort in times of need?

Scientific Name: Tilia americana
Native Region: eastern North America
Year Planted: 1898 (estimated)
Average Height: 60-80 feet

The American Basswood tree grows to a height 60-80 feet, with a mature width of 30-60 feet. It is native to the Chicago area is can be found at a variety of planting sites, such as city parkways, restaurants, parks, and wide medians. The leaves are large and sharply toothed.

The American Basswod has a very distinct bloom in the early summer with a multitude of white flower clusters. Bees favor the flowers as a source of nectar. A nickname for the Basswood is the “bee tree,” because once it blooms, the honeybee tends to favor it over all other nectar sources.

Small, round nutlets follow the flowers in the late summer/fall.

Native Americans made ropes and woven mats from the Basswood’s tough, fibrous inner bark.

american basswood tree

american basswood leaves

american basswood flowers

The flowers and inner bark of the Basswood have been used traditionally for their medicinal properties. This aspect ties into spiritual beliefs regarding the tree’s ability to heal and provide for human needs, reinforcing its importance in cultural practices and rituals.

Looking inward, what are the strengths and qualities you possess that are most important to you? How do these qualities support the people in your life?   

Scientific Name: Styphnolobium japonicum
Native Region: China, Korea, Vietnam
Year Planted: 1947 (estimated)
Average Height: 50-75 feet

Despite its name, the Japanese Pagoda Tree is native to China, Korea, and Vietnam. The tree is also commonly known as the “Chinese Scholar Tree,” because it was often planted around Buddhist temples.

The Japanese Pagoda Tree was first introduced to the West in 1753. They became popular for providing shade and having fragrant, creamy white flowers that grow in clusters, blooming in late Summer.

The Japanese Pagoda Tree is a member of the pea family; its fruits are legumes. The pea pods that follow its flowers are unique in that they are constricted between each seed, giving them the appearance of string of beads.

The Japanese Pagoda Tree grows to a height of 50 to 75 feet with a mature width of 50 to 75 feet.

japanese pagoda tree

japanese pagoda tree seeds

japanese pagoda tree flowers

The spiritual significance of the Japanese Pagoda Tree is deeply rooted in its historical association with Buddhist temples, its symbolism of protection and blessings, its seasonal rhythms, and its majestic presence in the natural world. The Japanese Pagoda Tree has been revered in cultural and spiritual contexts, becoming a symbol of longevity, wisdom, and harmony with nature.

Who are the people in your life that protect you?  How do these people take care of you?  Where else do you seek protection in comfort during times of need?

Scientific Name: Metasequoia glyptostroboides
Native Region: China 
Year Planted: 1950 (estimated)
Average Height: 70-100 feet

Once one of the most widespread trees in the Northern Hemisphere, the Dawn Redwood was believed to be extinct for 20 million years. Then in the early 1940’s, a forester discovered a large specimen in Sichuan province. As China was in the midst of war, it took several years before researchers could conduct a full study.

In the late 1940’s, at least 1,000 Dawn Redwoods were found growing in lowland canyons. The tree was well known to villagers who used it for everything from cattle feed to lumber, commonly referring to it as “water-fir” or “water-pine”. Of the three redwood species, Dawn Redwoods are the only deciduous conifers, shedding their leaves every fall. While popular in ornamental gardens, it is critically endangered in the wild, growing in only a few small, scattered regions of China.

 

dawn redwood tree

dawn redwood tree needlesdawn redwood tree seeds

The spiritual significance of the Dawn Redwood lies in its resilience, rarity, and the story of its rediscovery.

Reflecting on your life, was there a time that you had to rediscover yourself?  How did this rediscovery influence the story of your life? 

Learn more about the tree species across campus.

Scientific Name: Amelanchier arborea
Native Range: central and eastern North America
Height: 15-20 feet

The Serviceberry tree is a large shrub or small tree with beautiful white blossoms and edible fruits. There are several different species that occur over most parts of the United States. Most species have attractive white flowers, but some species have pink to yellow petals. The flowers typically bloom in April and only last for a week. The tree grows to a height of 15 to 25 feet. Serviceberry trees is one of the most beautiful in fall as the leaves turn vivid shades of red and gold. The fruit produced is loved by birds.

The name “serviceberry” is said to have originated because when the flowers bloomed it signaled that the ground had thawed enough to have burial services and it was safe for traveling preachers to make their rounds to neighboring towns.

service berry

service berry berries

service berry flower

Scientific Name: Cericis candensis
Native Range: eastern North America
Height: 20-30 feet

A native tree species, the Eastern Red Bud generally has a short, often twisted trunk and spreading branches. The flowers are showy, light to dark magenta pink in color, 0.5 inch long, appearing in clusters from spring to early summer. These blossoms provide an early source of nectar for native pollinator species. Butterflies and long-tongued bees can pollinate the flowers as short-tongued bees cannot reach the nectaries. Blossoms are edible and can add a bright, citrusy taste to salads.

The Eastern Red Bud is the state tree of Oklahoma. 

eastern redbud tree

eastern redbud seed pods

eastern redbud leaves

Become a Tree Tender

Help take care of trees in the Pittsburgh region by becoming a Pitt Tree Tender!

In partnership with Tree Pittsburgh, Pitt community members can become certified as Tree Tenders for free by completing an online training and taking a competency quiz.