{"id":3568,"date":"2025-02-11T09:45:21","date_gmt":"2025-02-11T14:45:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brooklyn-name.com\/?p=3568"},"modified":"2025-02-11T09:45:23","modified_gmt":"2025-02-11T14:45:23","slug":"a-tree-grows-in-brooklyn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brooklyn-name.com\/en\/eternal-3568-a-tree-grows-in-brooklyn","title":{"rendered":"A Tree Grows in Brooklyn"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Historians traditionally study human history through preserved texts, while architecture is analyzed through images. However, the living world offers its own unique way of understanding the past. A particularly striking example is the tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima). Though now widely considered a weed, this tree was once an exotic and highly valued species. Most people associate it with the famous novel A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. Yet, beyond literature, this is a tree that anyone in Brooklyn has likely seen. It truly does grow in Brooklyn and beyond, thriving across much of the United States. More on <a href=\"https:\/\/brooklyn-name.com\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/brooklyn-name.com\/\">brooklyn-name.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a402a1110a87\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a402a1110a87\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/brooklyn-name.com\/en\/eternal-3568-a-tree-grows-in-brooklyn\/#Betty_Smiths_Novel\" >Betty Smith\u2019s Novel<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/brooklyn-name.com\/en\/eternal-3568-a-tree-grows-in-brooklyn\/#A_Battle_Against_Caterpillar_Invasions\" >A Battle Against Caterpillar Invasions<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/brooklyn-name.com\/en\/eternal-3568-a-tree-grows-in-brooklyn\/#Prince_Nursery\" >Prince Nursery<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/brooklyn-name.com\/en\/eternal-3568-a-tree-grows-in-brooklyn\/#Challenging_the_Urban_Environment\" >Challenging the Urban Environment<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Betty_Smiths_Novel\"><\/span>Betty Smith\u2019s Novel<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1045\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn-name.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2025\/02\/1-10.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3569\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn-name.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2025\/02\/1-10.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn-name.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2025\/02\/1-10-300x196.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn-name.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2025\/02\/1-10-768x502.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn-name.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2025\/02\/1-10-1536x1003.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn-name.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2025\/02\/1-10-696x455.jpg 696w, https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn-name.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2025\/02\/1-10-1068x698.jpg 1068w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>You may have read Betty Smith\u2019s novel A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. The tree of heaven gained widespread popularity in 1943 when it was featured as a symbol of resilience in Smith\u2019s novel. This book tells the story of a brave and determined girl from Brooklyn\u2019s tenement houses, with the tree representing her unbreakable spirit. It thrived in the city, where other plants wilted and died. No matter where its seeds landed, another tree would sprout, striving to reach the sky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It grew on boarded-up lots and in abandoned heaps of garbage\u2014it was the only tree that could push through the concrete. Over time, much has changed. Today, if you ask a city resident about the tree of heaven, they will likely tell you that its incredible resilience is actually a major nuisance. Nowadays, the tree is considered an invasive species, a problem that needs to be addressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Brooklyn\u2019s municipal authorities did not always view street trees favorably, particularly in the city&#8217;s early history. In those days, they were often classified as obstacles to traffic and urban development. However, attitudes began shifting in the early 19th century as the city\u2019s population exploded and new streets were constructed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even back then, tree advocates argued that greenery could beautify sidewalks, provide shade, and improve air quality in crowded, disease-prone cities. It was also believed that trees increased property values. Without municipal support, local newspapers encouraged homeowners to plant trees, reminding them every spring and fall\u2014prime planting seasons\u2014of the many benefits trees provided.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But could any tree survive the bustling city streets? This was a serious question for homeowners. It was not just about finding trees that grew upright enough to avoid obstructing buildings or whose roots wouldn\u2019t damage newly installed water pipes, gutters, or cobblestones. The challenge was to find a species that could thrive despite urban hardships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Growth time was another consideration. People wanted shade and protection from trees as quickly as possible. Early 19th-century nursery catalogs emphasized the desire for immediate shade and relief from the heat. As it turned out, such a tree existed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Battle_Against_Caterpillar_Invasions\"><\/span>A Battle Against Caterpillar Invasions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1237\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn-name.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2025\/02\/2-10.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3572\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn-name.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2025\/02\/2-10.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn-name.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2025\/02\/2-10-300x232.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn-name.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2025\/02\/2-10-768x594.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn-name.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2025\/02\/2-10-1536x1188.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn-name.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2025\/02\/2-10-696x538.jpg 696w, https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn-name.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2025\/02\/2-10-1068x826.jpg 1068w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The tree of heaven not only grew rapidly but also proved highly resistant to caterpillars and other pests. This was a key advantage for American cities, particularly Brooklyn, in the mid-19th century. Between the 1850s and 1870s, many East Coast cities, including New York and Brooklyn, suffered devastating caterpillar infestations. These insects, known as inchworms, stripped the leaves from city trees, leaving bare branches. They then hung from the trees and fell onto pedestrians\u2019 hair, beards, and clothing, or onto sidewalks, where they were crushed underfoot, creating revolting piles of insect remains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Beyond the inconvenience of caterpillars clinging to people\u2019s beards, there was the broader problem of urban defoliation. Before air conditioning and electric fans, shade trees were essential for keeping sidewalks and homes cool during sweltering summers. But if caterpillars devoured the leaves by early July, trees became useless for shade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Prince_Nursery\"><\/span>Prince Nursery<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"713\" height=\"912\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn-name.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2025\/02\/3-10.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3575\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn-name.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2025\/02\/3-10.jpg 713w, https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn-name.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2025\/02\/3-10-235x300.jpg 235w, https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn-name.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2025\/02\/3-10-696x890.jpg 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 713px) 100vw, 713px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the earliest commercial nurseries in the United States, Prince Nursery, played a key role in the spread of tree seedlings across the country and internationally. Naturally, it also contributed to the introduction of exotic Chinese tree-of-heaven saplings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The tree of heaven first appeared in Prince Nursery\u2019s annual catalog in 1823. Most trees sold for 37.5 to 50 cents at the time, but the tree of heaven was among the few priced at the highest tier\u2014one dollar per tree. There was a minor mix-up at first: William Prince mistakenly identified it as the Tanner Sumac. However, once the error was corrected and its exotic origins from China were highlighted, the tree quickly gained immense popularity. For many years, demand for it tripled supply, keeping its price high. In Brooklyn, the tree of heaven was in particularly high demand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A close look at the tree of heaven reveals that it doesn\u2019t quite blend with the Northeastern landscape. This makes sense\u2014it isn\u2019t a native American species. Originating from China and Taiwan, the tree made its way to Europe in the early 18th century when English landscape designers were enamored with Far Eastern gardens. It arrived in America a decade later, in 1784, when Philadelphia horticulturist William Hamilton planted the first specimen at his estate, The Woodlands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over the following decades, the frost-resistant tree gained widespread popularity as an exotic ornamental plant, particularly for urban landscaping. Its ability to withstand pollution further solidified its appeal. However, the tree also had its downsides. It releases toxins to suppress competing plants, and its male flowers emit a foul odor during bloom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Challenging_the_Urban_Environment\"><\/span>Challenging the Urban Environment<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"713\" height=\"912\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn-name.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2025\/02\/3-11.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3578\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn-name.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2025\/02\/3-11.jpg 713w, https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn-name.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2025\/02\/3-11-235x300.jpg 235w, https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn-name.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2025\/02\/3-11-696x890.jpg 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 713px) 100vw, 713px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Andrew Jackson Downing, widely considered the father of American landscape architecture, predicted the decline of the tree\u2019s popularity as early as 1852\u2014ironically, at the peak of its acclaim. In his journal The Horticulturalist, he warned about its rapid spread and its less appealing traits. Instead, he advocated for more beneficial native tree species. But at the time, few listened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Urban environments often feel like controlled spaces, but the tree of heaven defied that perception. It served a purpose in the early 19th century, offering almost instant shade and requiring little maintenance. It thrived on Brooklyn\u2019s rapidly developing, newly paved streets, resisting infestations that plagued other trees. And, as Betty Smith\u2019s novel famously reminds us\u2014A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"1067\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn-name.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2025\/02\/4-7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3581\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn-name.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2025\/02\/4-7.jpg 800w, https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn-name.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2025\/02\/4-7-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn-name.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2025\/02\/4-7-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn-name.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2025\/02\/4-7-696x928.jpg 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Historians traditionally study human history through preserved texts, while architecture is analyzed through images. However, the living world offers its own unique way of understanding the past. A particularly striking example is the tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima). Though now widely considered a weed, this tree was once an exotic and highly valued species. Most [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":476,"featured_media":3584,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[338],"tags":[2143,2140,2145,2146,2153,2142,2151,2149,2150,2144,2147,2139,2148,2152,2141],"moimportance":[30,33],"motype":[325],"moformat":[18],"class_list":{"0":"post-3568","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","8":"tag-a-tree-grows-in-brooklyn","9":"tag-ailanthus-altissima","10":"tag-betty-smith-novel","11":"tag-brooklyn-history","12":"tag-brooklyn-literature","13":"tag-brooklyn-trees","14":"tag-brooklyn-urban-life","15":"tag-city-landscaping","16":"tag-environmental-history","17":"tag-historical-trees","18":"tag-invasive-species","19":"tag-new-york-greenery","20":"tag-street-trees","21":"tag-tree-of-heaven","22":"tag-urban-ecology","23":"moimportance-golovna-novyna","24":"moimportance-retranslyacziya-v-agregatory","25":"motype-eternal","26":"moformat-vlasna"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/brooklyn-name.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3568","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/brooklyn-name.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/brooklyn-name.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brooklyn-name.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/476"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brooklyn-name.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3568"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/brooklyn-name.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3568\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3587,"href":"https:\/\/brooklyn-name.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3568\/revisions\/3587"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brooklyn-name.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3584"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brooklyn-name.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3568"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brooklyn-name.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3568"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brooklyn-name.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3568"},{"taxonomy":"moimportance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brooklyn-name.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moimportance?post=3568"},{"taxonomy":"motype","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brooklyn-name.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/motype?post=3568"},{"taxonomy":"moformat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brooklyn-name.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moformat?post=3568"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}