TreeWonderWSP is back for the rest of June! Come join us to observe and draw (or write) the oldest tree in Manhattan. Yes, the English Elm in the northwest corner of the park is the island’s oldest tree.

There are a couple of places to find hawthorns in the park. There are several trees growing in the lawn adjacent the bocce sand court. These 5-petal flowers, a mark of the Rosaceae family, are endearing (top).

The native shrub oakleaf hydrangea is a common plant in the park. The features that look like petals are actually bracts or modified leaves used to attract insects (right).

The park keeps on blooming with tree flowers. We are in the part of the year where Northern Catalpa (left) and Japanese Lilac Tree (right) are flowering as are hawthorns (see above). You can still observe Tuliptree flowers. Linden floral buds are visibly swelling so watch for those sweet blooms.

Your Bird Story is a sister initiative. A new episode of the podcast drops every 2nd Thursday of the month (except August). The next episode about rescuing birds in NYC will go live on June 9. Subscribe to Your Bird Story wherever you listen to podcasts.

We would love to hear your ideas for nature events in the park. Share them with us via email or leave a voice message at 510/859/4643.

Washington Square Park Eco Projects is an initiative of Local Nature Lab. Support our work.