In a previous installment of this series, I spotlighted the stately endurance of a lonely red oak sandwiched between two apartment buildings in my neighborhood.
Recently, however, I realized that I only told half the story because there’s a second tree where I live that survives alone in the narrow space between two buildings – a tree-of-heaven (TOH) covered in English Ivy. Unlike the delectable red oak, this sandwich tree leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
A Tree from Heaven Hell
In the classic novel A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, the TOH is a metaphor for resilience. Its remarkable ability to thrive in the concrete jungle of Brooklyn’s tenements parallels an immigrant family’s struggles to build a new life in America. The tree represents beauty and hope despite the harsh reality of living in poverty.
But don’t be fooled by its name or the message from the novel. The invasive TOH is a nightmare that seriously threatens our native ecosystems. Its competitive survival strategy poisons the soil and crowds out our native shrubs and trees. But as if that weren’t enough, the TOH also hosts the invasive and equally destructive spotted lanternfly. Together these two invaders present a double whammy to our woodlands, vineyards and orchards.
Spotted Lanternflies are Swarming – Step on Them!
In an early autumn trip to Untermyer Gardens, I saw numerous TOHs covered in lanternflies.
The swarming flies are now common in Yonkers and throughout Westchester County. Although exotically beautiful, environmentalists have encouraged people to smash them on sight, but when they land on the sidewalk, you better act fast, they sense your aggression.
The existence of TOHs in our backyards, forests, and along our highways, has established an easy trail for lanternfly to follow. Since these interlopers both originated in Asia and evolved together over thousands of years, in America the female lanternflies now prefer to lay their eggs on the genetically familiar TOHs. The simple presence of the TOH has led to an explosion of lanternflies.
The ecological damage caused by spotted lanternflies is the result of their voracious appetite. They feed by piercing plant stems and sucking sap. Key victims include maples, oaks, fruit trees, grapevines and especially the TOH. Lanternflies excrete a sugary liquid called honeydew, which coats leaves and bark, creating a sticky, stinky mess. Vineyards have been particularly hard hit. Over time, repeated feeding causes dieback, reduced growth, and even death in heavily infested trees.
It should come as no surprise that I’m no fan of the TOH trees that are proliferating in my neighborhood. So let the equally invasive English Ivy smoother this TOH. It’s causing me indigestion. It’s time for this sandwich tree to go.
This story is the fifth in a bimonthly series about trees in Yonkers. If any reader knows of a particular tree that they feel is worthy of an exposé, please contact me through the Yonkers Ledger at phil.zisman@theyonkersledger.com
