
Trees of New York City

The land comprising New York City holds approximately 5.2 million trees and 168 different tree species, as of 2020. The New York City government, along side an assortment of environmental organizations, actively work to plant and maintain the trees. As of 2020, New York City held 44,509 acres of urban tree canopy with 24% of its land covered in trees.
History of trees in New York City.
Trees have grown continuously on the mainland and islands that now comprise New York City since the end of the Pleistocene epoch. Trees have inhabited the lands in or around what is now New York City for over 300 million years, far before the existence of humanity. The first human settlement in the NYC area is dated as early as 9,000 years ago, this marked the beginning of human's permanently altering the old-growth forest ecosystem. Humanity's impact of the trees in New York City greatly accelerated with European colonization of the Americas as the new settlers brought with them advanced metals tools and tree processing technologies paired with a high appetite towards lumber that they would both sell and use locally in the Thirteen Colonies, as well as send back to the Old World. While the Native American population lived off and with the Northeast's forest ecosystem relatively symbiotically, the new European colonists, with their higher population density, sedentary housing needs, and agriculture techniques, diminished the need to harvest wild fruits from trees. The New World found itself rapidly deforested, New York City included. 
Lenape use of trees.
The Lenape peoples who inhabited the greater NYC area directly prior to European colonization relied on trees for food, shelter, tool materials, fuel, and medicine. The typical Lenape house, called a longhouse, relied on the bending of the trunks taken from small trees to create a series of arches to serve as the frame. The Lenape used the Zanthoxylum tree as medicine for toothaches because chewing on the leaves or bark creates a tingling, or numbing effect in the mouth. In 1624, at the time of the founding of New Amsterdam, huge stands of Oak, Hickory, and Chestnut trees grew throughout the island of Manhattan. At this time, the area now known as Times Square was a Red Maple swamp.
Governors Island.
The Lenape called Governors Island: “Pagganck,” which means “nut island,” named after the areas abundance of hickory nut trees.
Cherry Street.
At the corner of Cherry Street and Franklin Square, the Lenape peoples planted and maintained a vast cherry orchard. When the Dutch took control of the orchard, they created “Cherry Street” amidst the trees. George Washington later lived at 1 Cherry Street, the location being notable as the nation’s first presidential residence. Remnants of the orchard survived into the 1870s, when the last of the trees and Washington’s home at 1 Cherry Street, were razed to build the Brooklyn Bridge.
American use of trees.
Stuyvesant Pear Tree.
In 1647, Peter Stuyvesant, the Dutch colonial governor, planted a pear tree on his farm, Stuyvesant Farm. It stood here for two hundred years, with New York City growing around it. The 1811 street grid covered over the farm but spared the Stuyvesant Pear Tree. The tree remained there until February 1867, weakened by a massive winter storm and done in by a wagon collision. 
A plaque marking the Stuyvesant tree’s spot remains at the corner of 13th Street and Third Avenue. In this neighborhood, pear trees are still planted to commemorate the original pear tree planted by Stuyvesant. A Stuyvesant descendant gifted a cross-section of the original trunk to the New-York Historical Society.
Hangman’s Elm.
The Hangman’s Elm, is an Elm tree in Washington Square Park. In 1989, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation determined that this English Elm was 310 years old. As a result, many believe that it is the oldest known tree in Manhattan. 
The earliest references to the elm as a "hanging tree" date from the late 19th century, long after the supposed hangings were said to have taken place. Recent extensive research into the park's history by more than one historian has shown that the tree was on a private farm until the land was bought by the city and added to Washington Square in 1827. No public records exist of hangings from this tree.
The only recorded execution in this area was of Rose Butler, in 1820, for arson. She was hanged from a gallows in the city's potter's field, on the eastern side of Minetta Creek, about 500 feet (150 meters) from the elm; at that time, Minetta Creek ran in a shallow ravine between the potter's field and the farm where the elm stood. The hanging attracted 10,000 spectators.
New York City urban street trees.
New York City runs a tree planting efforts through the Parks Department. As of 2020, the city has over 2.5 million trees.
The tallest and oldest tree in New York City is the "Queens Giant", a Tulip Poplar growing in Queens.
As of 2020, New York City Department of Parks and Recreation is the steward of most of the trees within New York City. The NYC Department of Parks observes Earth Day and Arbor Day.
List of trees growing in New York City.
This list includes street trees of New York City; as well as, trees planted in New York City parks and public spaces: 