Yellowwoods are beautiful native trees of North America. Even in the wild, they are rare trees to find, which makes seeing them in the park all the more special. Not a large tree by any standards, it grows between 30 to 60 feet tall. What it lacks in height it makes up with beauty. Its multi-branched trunk is smooth and gray with each limb covered in multiple series of bright green leaves. 

They get their name not from their yellow fall leaves, but from the yellow color of their freshly cut wood. The tree blooms with a spectacular spay of fragrant white flowers bloom in May, which are followed by bean-like seed pods. They are one of the first trees in the park to put on fall color.

 As part of our horticulture program, we keep data on five species of trees, including the Yellowwood. Our horticulture team learns from their life cycle and how they interact with the park’s plants and animals. This information helps us see the rhythm of the seasons, and shows us how the park has changed over time.