Betula Nigra

The river birch, black birch, or water birch is a species of birch native to the Eastern United States from New Hampshire west to southern Minnesota, and south to northern Florida and west to Texas. It is one of the few heat-tolerant birches in a family of mostly cold-weather trees.  

These fast growing trees were planted at a home on Cooney Terrace. 

Betula Lenta

(Related species include yellow birch, paper birch, and grey birch)

A graceful canopy tree with golden autumn color, birches are very adaptable but prefer moist soil. Beautiful scaly bark is it's signature. Red-tinged shedded branches can be used as decorative garden stakes or stacked as bird refuges near a feeder for winter enjoyment! Supports wildlife and looks beautiful wrapped with holiday lights!

Prunus

(Related species include plums, chokecherry, and pin cherry)

A fast growing opportunist that appears in beds and forest gaps becoming a slender, elegant shade tree. Profuse spring flowers provide abundant nectar and pollen for bees and late summer fruit sustains birds and small animals. 

The Black Cherry in this picture is in the middle of it's spring bloom.

Ulmus americana

The American elm or, less commonly, as the white elm or water elm,[a] is a species of elm native to eastern North America.  It is an extremely hardy tree that can withstand winter temperatures as low as (−44 °F). Trees in areas unaffected by Dutch elm disease can live for several hundred years.  

Celtis occidentalis

The common hackberry is easily distinguished from elms and some other hackberries by its cork-like bark with wart-like protuberances. The leaves are distinctly asymmetrical and coarse-textured. It produces small fruits that turn orange-red to dark purple in the autumn, often staying on the trees for several months. The common hackberry is easily confused with the sugarberry (Celtis laevigata) and is most easily distinguished by range and habitat.  

Carya

Hickory is a common name for trees composing the genus Carya, which includes around 12 species native to the United States including the Bitternut, Black, Mockernut (pictured here), Pignut, Red, Scrub, and Shagbark Hickory.   The name "hickory" derives from a Native American word in an Algonquian language.

A number of hickory species are used for products like edible nuts or wood.  Hickories are temperate forest trees with pinnately compound leaves and large nuts. Hickory flowers are small, yellow-green catkins produced in spring. They are wind-pollinated and self-incompatible. 

There are newly planted Mockernut Hickories planted along the Third Street Trail.  As well as a beautiful fully grown Black Hickory along the south trail in the FH Fields Natural Area.

Shagbark Hickory's catkins mature into delicious sweet nuts prized by wildlife and people.  More than one tree will ensure cross-pollinationand an abundant nut crop.  As keystone plants native hickories support more than 200 moth and butterfly species, including the night-flying luna moth.  Its shaggy bark provides protective roosting sites for native bats, and squirrels play an important role in dispensing its seeds.

Two Shagbark Hickory trees will be planted along the Third Street Trail on Arbor Day 2023.

Tilia Americana

The American Linden tree is also referred to as the Basswood tree.  Fair Haven's own Linden Lane used to be lined with these large graceful sweet smelling trees but few remain today.  Their beautiful heart shaped leaves and fragrant flowers make this a spring beauty. Growing 45- 120’ Lindens can live for over 150 years. 

This graceful Linden has grown well for over 50 years at Harvard Road (Between Cambridge Ave and Lake Ave).

American Linden Tree being planted on the Third Street Trail as part of Kevin Medrow's Eagle Scout project.

Magnolia Grandifola

This eye-catching beauty produces large fragrant flowers from April to June.  This tree generally prefers warmer climates but is winter hearty and thrives in Fair Haven.  Reaching a mature height of 60' - 80', be sure to give it enough room to grow.  The Southern Magnolia is a nice alternative to traditional evergreens.

This 40' Southern Magnolia is on Battin Road and is guarded by a fox that lives nearby!

Acer saccharinum

Silver Maple- A resilient tree for wet areas or poor soil often growing where few other trees will. Silver maple has deeply lobed silvery leaves and a multi-trunk growth habit providing nice shade. It is best planted in a yard, park or low spot away from buildings because of a shallow, vigorous root system. Leaves turn yellow to brownish in fall.

Acer Saccherum

The sugar maple contains the sweetest sap of all maple trees and is used to make most maple syrup and maple sugar. This maple also features spectacular fall foliage, ranging from yellow to orange to red each year.  Usually fast growing trees, a 10-year-old sugar maple is typically about 5 m (20 ft) tall.  As with most trees, forest-grown sugar maples form a much taller trunk and narrower canopy than open-growth ones. 

There are plenty of Sugar Maple trees around town, but this one on Ridge Road just can't be missed in the fall.

The incredible importance and value of oaks!!!

Nineteen species of oaks are native to New Jersey and play a keystone role in our communities and ecosystems.   Oak’s deep roots provide watershed management by reducing soil erosion and absorbing storm water runoff. Long lived oaks store more carbon, clean the air and provide cooling shade while supporting more wildlife than any other tree genus.  Below we list 5 popular oak species (Black, Bur, Northern Red, Pin, & White).

Let’s protect and plant these valuable trees!

If you want to learn more about oaks, we highly recommend Doug Tallamy's, "The Nature of Oaks".

Quercus Velutina

The black oak gets its name from the dark color of the mature tree's bark.  These trees prefer full sun and moist well drained soil, but are quite adaptable to poor dry conditions as evidenced by these 100+ year old survivors.

Two beautiful Black Oaks can be found in Fair Haven at 626 River Road (Old Sunoco Station).   We are hoping new development plans will spare these majestic giants from the dreaded wood chipper.

Quercus Macrocarpa

The Bur Oak is a large deciduous tree growing up to 30 metres (98 feet), rarely 50 m (160 ft), in height,[3] and is one of the most massive oaks with a trunk diameter of up to 3 m (10 ft); reports of taller trees occur, but have not been verified. It is one of the slowest-growing oaks, with a growth rate of 30 centimetres (12 in) per year when young.  Bur oaks commonly get to be 200 to 300 years old, and may live up to 400 years. 

There were 4 beautiful Bur Oaks planted along the Third Street Trail in October 2022.

Quercus Prinus

Chestnut oak, sometimes called rock chestnut oak, rock oak, or tanbark oak, is commonly found in the Appalachian region on dry, infertile soils and rocky ridges but reaches best growth on rich well-drained soils along streams. Good acorn crops on this medium-sized, long-lived tree are infrequent, but the sweet nuts are eaten by wildlife when available. Chestnut oak is slow growing and the lumber is cut and sold as white oak. 

There's a beautiful small Chestnut Oak on the South Trail by the Golden Gate in the Natural Area.

Quercus Rubra

New Jersey’s state tree, red oaks have an open branching pattern providing valuable shade to cool your home and save on energy costs. Deep roots stabilize soil and store carbon and groundwater runoff making oaks not only valuable to wildlife but also to a healthy environment.

Both Hance Road and Oak Place are just a few of the streets where several magnificent 200+ year old Red Oaks can be found.

Quercus Palustris

Pin oaks are one of the most commonly used oaks by landscapers as they are easy to transplant and grow quickly.  Pin oaks provide dense shade with lower branches that hang downward.  Many magnificent stands of pin oaks throughout the McCarter Park provide plenty of shade, fall color, and food for squirrels. 

There are Pin Oaks all around Fair Haven.  This one is on Church Street (at the corner of Church St. and Third St.).

Scarlet Oak

Quercus Coccínea

A stately shade tree that is tolerant of a wide range of soils, scarlet oak leaves are a glossy dark green turning to a brilliant scarlet color in fall. A large tree with a rounded open habit providing light shade and excellent fall color. Allow sufficient space to grow upward and spread to its mature size. 

Quercus Bicolor

If you want to make your mark on the Earth, try planting Swamp White Oak trees (Quercus bicolor). These beautiful, low-maintenance native trees can live for many hundreds of years.  The lustrous distinctive leaves cast wonderfully refreshing shade for your family and friends, and for future generations.  What a gift to bequeath and a great landscape choice!  With a rounded, open habit, Swamp White Oak is a long-lived tree that is very valuable for both its lush shade and as a food source for wildlife. The name bicolor refers to the two-toned leaf; shiny, dark green above and velvety-white below, turning golden in the fall.

A beautiful Swamp White Oak was planted along the 3rd Street Trail in October 2022.

Quercus Alba

Did you know the oldest recorded white oak in Monmouth County is in Fair Haven?  At 300+ years old this grand old tree was alive with George Washington so imagine the history its witnessed!  If left undisturbed oaks can live for hundreds of years.  Other valuable Oak species include Swamp white oak and willow oak that tolerate wet conditions.

McCarter Park is home to many white and other oak varieties.  

Quercus Phellos

Willow oaks are popular shade trees in parks and along streets and is recognizable by it's narrow willow-like leaves that turn yellow in the fall. A fast growing oak that transplants easily because of it’s shallow root system. It is tolerant of a wide range of growing conditions including poorly drained soil but will require focused watering until established. 

There is a strong and healthy Willow Oak tree planted on at Sportsman's Field on 3rd Street.

Liquidambar Styraciflua

Known for its beautiful star shaped yellow/orange/red leaves and its spiky gumballs, Sweetgum supports many moth and butterfly species. This impressive tree should be planted with room to spread out and situated where the gumballs can be left for wildlife or easily swept away.  

Several old sweet gum beauties surround the ballfield on the corner of Third and Cedar where they provide much appreciated shade to sports fans of all ages.

Nyssa Sylvatica

These trees are popular for the intensity of their crimson color each fall. Birds and animals love the black tupelo's fruit. 

Liriodendron Tulipifera

One of the tallest trees in North America, these straight giants are abundant in many Fair Haven yards, the FH Natural Area, and Harding bird sanctuary.  It’s name comes from the showy yellow-orange flowers that look like garden tulips and the tulip shaped leaves.  

Two large Tuliptrees also grace William Albert Robards Park, one receiving Big Tree Hunt Signature status!  And there is Tulip Tree in the Harding Bird Sanctuary that is estimated to be over 250 years old.

Juglans Nigra

The eastern American black walnut, is a species of deciduous tree in the walnut family, Juglandaceae, native to North America.  Black walnut is an important tree commercially, as the wood is a deep brown color and easily worked. Walnut seeds (nuts) are cultivated for their distinctive and desirable taste. Walnut trees are grown both for lumber and food, and many cultivars have been developed for improved quality wood or nuts.